Cisco Systems today announced that SaskTel is driving expansion of advanced services, including its MAX IP TV offering, by furthering development of its Cisco Internet Protocol Next-Generation Network (IP NGN) featuring the Cisco CRS-1 Carrier Routing System routing platform and Cisco IOS XR software.

"As we continue development and rapid deployment of advanced services to our growing customer base, we look for technologies that will not only facilitate, but actually help us drive that growth," said Kym Wittal, CTO, SaskTel. "The Cisco CRS-1 brings us carrier-class functionality, including the scalability, continuous system operation and service flexibility we need to develop and deploy new services now and well into the future."

The Cisco CRS-1 is the first carrier-class routing system designed to seamlessly scale up to 92 terabits per second, simplifying today's networks while maximizing investment protection for customers. Cisco CRS-1's advanced features and functions include continuous operation, IP service flexibility, scalability, multicast capability for digital broadcast video and seamless optical integration. These features are required to support advanced services such as digital broadcast video.

SaskTel selected the Cisco CRS-1 after an intensive and successful trial of the platform's advanced features and functions.

The CRS-1 also provides SaskTel with Cisco I-Flex shared port adapters utilizing an extensible design that enables service prioritization for voice, video and data services for intelligent, flexible and highly secure networking. These modular port adapters and programmable interface processors, which are interchangeable across Cisco carrier routing platforms, help service providers protect network investments and reduce total cost of ownership.

"Innovative, customer-focused providers like SaskTel are working to deliver any service, to any user on any device, anywhere," said Olaf Krahmer, vice president of service provider operations, Cisco Systems Canada. "The Cisco IP NGN with CRS-1 in the core enables SaskTel to meet those needs, with the scalability, reliability and carrier-class functionality that it and its customers demand."