Calix will collaborate with innovative Armenian communications service provider Ucom to bring the benefits of NG-PON2 across the country to deliver an unmatched broadband experience to the company’s wireline and mobile subscribers.
With initial trials scheduled for early 2017, Ucom is planning to roll out new 10Gb/s business and mobile backhaul services, as well as to converge its residential and business networks onto a single infrastructure, in order to simplify operations.
Ucom will deploy the complete suite of products from Calix including the AXOS software-defined access network operating system, and Compass cloud services, as well as the next generation of PON technology, NG-PON2.
As the first service provider to introduce fibre to the home (FTTH) services in Armenia, Ucom now passes more than half of all homes in the country. The operator originally built its network with equipment from Ericsson, but switched to Calix after that company bought Ericsson’s GPON product lines.
Today, Ucom offers advanced voice, video, and data services to residential subscribers, while continuously expanding its commercial and mobile portfolio. Last year, Ucom acquired mobile operator Orange Armenia, to expand its offering to include quad-play packages.
“Calix has been instrumental in the development of our FTTH network, which we believe to be the most extensive and advanced in Armenia,” said Aleksander Yesayan, business development director and deputy CEO at Ucom. “Our vision has always been to become Armenia’s most advanced service provider, and NG-PON2 is the perfect vehicle to extend fibre services for businesses and connect our own mobile cell sites. The Calix partnership enables Ucom to take this vision to the next level, once again transforming the broadband landscape in our country.”
Commenting on the announcement, Joseph Haddad, area vice president, international markets at Calix said: “NG-PON2 will be truly transformative for service providers like Ucom, who are looking to reap the benefits of a converged services network to combine mobile, business, and residential services onto one network, and for countries like Armenia, whose citizens are craving advanced broadband services. We are very proud to have been partnering with Ucom on their fibre network transformation journey for many years and we look forward to the company’s continued success as it leverages NG-PON2 to take its network and services to the next level.”