FPT Telecom, a leading multimedia and Internet service provider in Vietnam, has completed the deployment of the first metro Ethernet and optical network in the country. The 10 gigabits per second (Gbps) next-generation network, built with a total metro Ethernet, broadband and Internet Protocol/Multiprotocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS) solution from Cisco Systems, will provide FPT Telecom with a platform to deliver a wide variety of data, voice and video services over high-speed broadband connections.

At the core of FPT Telecom's optical network is Cisco ONS(R) 15454 Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) Multiservice Provisioning Platform (MSPP), which provides the functions of multiple network elements in a single platform. It provides legacy time-division multiplexing (TDM), metro Ethernet, storage area networking (SAN) connectivity as well as wavelength services through integrated dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) and reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) functionalities.

"FPT Telecom has great ambitions to bring state-of-the-art Internet services to Vietnam. To achieve this, we needed a solid foundation that was carrier-class, scalable and cost-effective. We were highly impressed with Cisco's optical solutions," said Mr. Truong Dinh Anh, general director of FPT Telecom.

At the access edge of the FPT network, by deploying Cisco's industry-leading Catalyst Ethernet switches and Broadband Remote Access Server (BRAS) technology, FPT now have a single platform that not only aggregate its DSL subscribers for Internet services but expand its broadband connectivity with metro Ethernet services while enabling new value-add services such as triple-play and IPTV. In addition, with the Cisco 7600 routers, FPT further differentiate its IP/MPLS VPN services to its business users with high-speed Ethernet in addition to its existing lease lines access.

"This is a very important project for Cisco to be involved in as it could be an important catalyst of growth of the Internet in Vietnam. Leading service providers in many parts of the world are deploying voice, video and 10 Mbps broadband over an Ethernet network to millions of homes and offices, using the Cisco ONS 15454 MSPP and metro Ethernet solutions. Cisco is excited to be working with FPT Telecom on this milestone project for Vietnam," said James Chia, general director, Cisco Systems Vietnam.

Cisco's optical, metro Ethernet and IP/MPLS networking portfolio is a part of Cisco's Internet Protocol Next-Generation Network (IP NGN), an architecture that enables service providers, such as FTP, to migrate to an IP-based network. By adopting Cisco IP NGN, service providers are able to deliver innovative new services to their end user customers in a more rapid, timely fashion. Also, service providers are able to improve their operational and capital expenditure efficiencies and advance the network and service control that they and their end-user customers need for long-term business success.

By integrating the local-, metro-, and wide-area networks with a comprehensive set of innovative optical technologies, such as wave division multiplexing (WDM), SONET, SDH, Gigabit Ethernet, and 10 Gigabit Ethernet, and Cisco Catalyst Ethernet switching, IP/MPLS routing platforms, Cisco technologies satisfy the most demanding application requirements while providing scalability, reliability, and resiliency for future networking needs.

On Oct 25 2005, Cisco announced a new series of enhancements (www.cisco.com/go/metronew) for its metro Ethernet products family as part of its continued momentum of its IP NGN vision. Cisco metro Ethernet products are certified by the Metro Ethernet Forum (an industry independent organization) for delivering the MEF9 specified metro services in carrier Ethernet networks.