Multimedia Access Platform to Enable Profitable Delivery of High-bandwidth Video/IPTV, Multimedia and VoIP Services to the Mass Market

Lucent Technologies announced the Lucent Multimedia Access Platform, an Internet Protocol (IP)-based solution that enables service providers to profitably deliver high-bandwidth video/IPTV, Voice over IP (VoIP) and multimedia services on a mass market scale. The platform is designed to support digital subscriber line (DSL) services, fiber to the home or premise (FTTx), and WiMAX wireless broadband in a single frame -- based on the Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (AdvancedTCA®) standard -- helping service providers deliver interactive IP multimedia services over a wide variety of networks, reducing both capital and operational costs.

The platform complements Lucent's industry-leading IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) solution and its current broadband access portfolio by offering an all-IP access infrastructure that can leverage the service control, provisioning and quality of service (QoS)-assurance capabilities of Lucent's IMS architecture. This makes it easier for service providers to introduce multimedia or "blended lifestyle" services that combine voice, video and data capabilities, and deliver them to consumers or business customers anytime, anywhere with guaranteed end-to-end QoS.

"Service providers are well-positioned to go beyond simple IPTV to offer new, ground-breaking multimedia services to consumers. We're rapidly turning consumer TVs into true multimedia terminals, combining video with interactive applications such as Web browsing, video conferencing and personal, portable TV services," said Rob Piconi, vice president and general manager for Broadband Solutions at Lucent Technologies. "The Lucent Multimedia Access Platform makes this possible by supporting broadband services over copper, fiber and wireless, delivered with the quality of service that consumers expect from traditional telecom services, all in a platform that can be expanded to meet the needs of the largest, most demanding service providers."

The new platform is the latest addition to Lucent's market-proven broadband access product portfolio, which includes the Stinger® DSLAM and AnyMedia® IP Line Access Gateway. The platform was developed to address the requirements of telecom carriers that are seeking to expand into new markets, such as Telefonica de Espana which currently provides IPTV services to more than 100,000 residential subscribers, one of the world's largest IPTV deployments, using Lucent IPTV infrastructure.

"We are very pleased with our existing partnership with Lucent, and its support of our commercial 'Imagenio' IPTV/video service," said Vicente San Miguel, vice president, Strategy and Network Development, Telefonica. "We are delighted by the announcement of the new Lucent Multimedia Access Platform and its ability to deliver innovative IP-based multimedia services in an open environment."

The platform will enable operators to support the greatest variety of access methods in the industry, including ADSL2+, VDSL2, IEEE 802.3ah Ethernet Passive Optical Networking (EPON), ITU G.984.x Gigabit Ethernet PON (GPON) at varying upstream and downstream line rates, point-to-point Ethernet and WiMAX capabilities (based on the IEEE's 802.16e standard). This unparalleled array of interfaces gives operators the flexibility to deploy services in the most practical and cost-effective method for any given market. It also offers up to 10 Gigabits per slot on the backplane and a full suite of Layer 2, Layer 3 and advanced packet processing capabilities that are designed to address operators' evolving requirements. Built-in hardware support for IPv6 lays the groundwork for future IP network evolution.

The integration of the platform with Lucent's IMS solution provides a variety of other compelling benefits to operators as well. For instance, Lucent's IMS solution can help ensure that new multimedia service offerings can be delivered with a consistent look and feel regardless of the access method being used. It also provides a variety of end-user benefits, supporting the seamless portability of services between wireline and wireless networks, offering a single sign-on capability for all services, providing a common contact list for all services, and the ability to customize and optimize each service based on the method of access being used at any given time.

Open Standards-Based Platform

Leveraging AdvancedTCA® and incorporating an open, Linux-based software foundation, the platform can help service providers reduce costs, and accelerate time-to-market. This is the first Lucent product based on AdvancedTCA, a new way to build high-performance communications and computing systems optimized for high-speed, high-bandwidth service delivery and network transport.

The platform's blade architecture also makes it easy for Lucent and its service provider customers to integrate additional capabilities or expand capacity easily by simply adding new cards. The optimal physical design of the chassis also allows ultra high port densities per card.

Because the platform is designed using open, standards-based hardware and software, service providers also can work with Lucent and third-party application developers, manufacturers and suppliers to create and modify applications and features to further distinguish their service offerings.

Bell Labs Innovations Inside

In addition to the underlying, standards-based architecture, the platform also takes advantage of key Bell Labs innovations that deliver unique benefits to service providers. For instance, Bell Labs' patented SmartPON(TM) module design enables operators to support both GPON and EPON standards on the same platform, and can be modified easily to address changes in the standards, new service requirements, different upstream and downstream line rates up to 2.4 Gbps (symmetric), and multivendor interoperability challenges.

The Lucent Multimedia Access Platform also incorporates patented Bell Labs-developed algorithms and software technologies designed to address operators' quality of service (QOS), security and reliability requirements.

Complements Lucent's Broadband Access Platforms

The Lucent Multimedia Access Platform integrates key features and functionality of Lucent's existing Stinger® DSLAM -- which is already supporting successful commercial IPTV service offerings -- and the VoIP features of Lucent's industry-leading AnyMedia® IP Line Access Gateway. The platform is also compatible with, and designed to complement, both the Stinger and AnyMedia systems, and can work in conjunction with established networks to provide operators with more advanced features and functionality.

The new platform also capitalizes on Lucent's extensive experience and expertise in the deployment of large-scale IP and VoIP networks, and unmatched record in the delivery of carrier-class reliability and scalability. The Lucent Multimedia Access Platform can be deployed in large- and small-scale Central Office, remote, or greenfield configurations. The Lucent Multimedia Access Platform will be available for customer trials in the first half of calendar year 2006, with a broader introduction in mid 2006.