Cisco Systems announced that HEF Bredbånd A/S, the service provider arm of the HEF utility company serving the Vesthimmerland region of Northern Denmark, is to build a new 5,000 kilometre fibre optic network based on the Cisco Internet Protocol Next-Generation Network (IP NGN) architecture with ServiceFlex design. The new infrastructure aims to bring "triple-play" entertainment- and business-grade communication services, including IPTV featuring 150 channels and video-on-demand (VoD), to more than 80,000 customers. The equal access network using Cisco Fibre to the Home (FTTH) Ethernet technology will help enable HEF Bredbånd A/S to support several separate content providers simultaneously over the same network delivering high-bandwidth services such as IP telephony.

The Cisco FTTP point-to-point Ethernet solution will give HEF Bredbånd A/S the largest capacity network in the region - 10 Gigabit Ethernet per second in the core and up to 100 Mbit/s Ethernet to customers - and makes HEF Bredbånd A/S the only company in Vesthimmerland capable of delivering such a wide range of voice, video and data "triple-play" bundled ,services over a single converged network. It will also help enable HEF Bredbånd A/S to offer customers one of the lowest cost IP telephony services in Denmark and provide them with a "one-stop shop" for all their entertainment and communications services.

Carl Hauton, chief executive officer of HEF Bredbånd A/S, said, "Through the links to our energy supply business, we already have a large customer base and the experience of building and managing a network-like infrastructure. Together with Cisco we will be able to bring a host of new 'triple-play' service bundles, including IPTV, to thousands of customers at considerably reduced costs. We conducted an extensive evaluation and chose Cisco because its Fiber To The Home Ethernet technology offered the most flexible and modular approach to develop what will be the highest capacity network in the region. With Cisco's IP NGN architecture we can build and then scale the network as demand increases without high start up costs."

Hauton added, "One of the key aspects of our network will be supporting a number of content service providers concurrently. Cisco will help enable us to scale to meet future needs and provide the flexibility to prioritize these different services over the network. Cisco technology also enables us to support both current and future content providers without reducing performance. Cisco's integrated, point-to-point network security functionality and the company's knowledge and expertise added to the reasons why HEF chose to work with Cisco."

Some of the innovative services that the Cisco FTTH Ethernet solution will support include enabling customers to manage all their communication and entertainment services from a single device so that they can access the Internet, read emails, view voice mails and select a variety of TV and VoD service using their TV remote control unit. The single ServiceFlex converged network approach also helps enhance customer choice by supporting multiple content and service providers.

HEF Bredbånd A/S will use Cisco 7600 Series Routers, Cisco Catalyst 3750 Metro Series Switches and Cisco Catalyst 2900 Series Switches to develop its network which will serve a large, but sparsely populated region in Denmark.

"Service providers worldwide, like HEF Bredbånd A/S, are pursuing converged IP Next Generation Network strategies because they are proving to be critical to providing current and future services, increasing infrastructure efficiencies, and enabling the value-added network and service control that they need to support competitive differentiation and enable profitability for long-term success," said Niels Christian Furu, managing director, Nordics for Cisco. "With our global commitment to service providers, continued investment in innovation, unmatched IP expertise, and comprehensive approach to both the network and business needs of its customers, Cisco is focused on helping service providers migrate to IP NGN networks as quickly, smoothly and profitably as possible."

HEF Bredbånd A/S has established relationships with a number of content providers including Dansk Bredbånd, a leading provider of Internet and IPTV services in Denmark. HEF Bredbånd A/S is also working with the Vesthimmerland Kommune, the local government organisation, to connect its local offices and extend the reach of its Cisco-based Ethernet network to the community.