Calix reports that it has completed Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) Carrier Ethernet (CE) 2.0 certification testing for its E5-306, E5-308, and E5-520 Ethernet Service Access Nodes (ESANs). The E5 ESANs were certified compliant with MEF CE 2.0 specifications when used at the user network interface (UNI) and/or external network-network interface (ENNI) of the Ethernet service, at both 1Gb/s and 10Gb/s speeds.
In addition to the equipment certification, 31 Calix engineers have been certified as MEF-CECPs (Carrier Ethernet Certified Professionals). With these certifications, Calix customers who have expanded into business services, as well as other business focused service providers, will have a powerful new array of options at their disposal to differentiate and monetise their offerings.
“In recent years, our business has grown rapidly by providing best-in-class commercial services to businesses in upstate New York and beyond,” said Paul Griswold, president and CEO of Calix customer Finger Lakes Technologies Group. “We have been able to differentiate ourselves from our competition with not only a strong portfolio of services, but superior customer support and a well-trained team of experts in a variety of areas. With Calix and the E5 solutions achieving MEF Carrier Ethernet 2.0 certification, we will be able to add another level of differentiation as we accelerate the delivery of reliable and predictable MEF services to our commercial customers.”
The Calix E5 ESANs complied with a strict set of specifications from the MEF in order to reach Carrier Ethernet 2.0 certification. The MEF Carrier Ethernet 2.0 specification enables multiple classes of service and manageability over interconnected service provider networks. Expanded from three services in the Carrier Ethernet 1.0 specification, Carrier Ethernet 2.0 encompasses eight services and guarantees that service providers can deliver end-to-end CE services in a reliable, predictable, and standardised manner.
“Ethernet business services are a key growth area for Calix service provider customers,” said Michel Langlois, senior vice president of systems products at Calix. “The addition of the E5 ESANs to the Unified Access portfolio last year enabled our customers to deliver advanced business and mobile backhaul services to more subscribers, and in doing so, elevate the returns on their access network investments to a whole new level. The achievement of MEF Carrier Ethernet 2.0 certification for the E5 family formally validates the value that Calix customers have already been experiencing – the ability to deliver more services, more quickly – and allowing them to compete more effectively in the business services market.”
The Calix E5-306, E5-308, and E5-520 fixed form factor ESANs deliver advanced business and mobile backhaul services in multiple form factors with a variety of powering options. In addition to the MEF CE 2.0 service demarcation capabilities, the E5 ESANs provide support for Ethernet operations, administration, and management (OAM) and service activation testing (SAT) which allow service providers to deploy business services with confidence, and deliver Ethernet aggregation and advanced network timing distribution anywhere in the network, eliminating the need for box-on-box deployments. The E5 ESANs can also function individually or complementary to E7 GPON solutions, creating a unified network infrastructure that is agile, nimble, and responsive.
“The E5 family of ESANs allows Calix to serve a broader set of service providers, including competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) who are focused on business services,” said John Colvin, senior vice president of North America sales. “With the MEF Carrier Ethernet 2.0 certification, the E5s are confirmed as a carrier-class solution for these types of providers, as well as our existing customers like Finger Lakes Technologies Group who are expanding their businesses to serve mobile operators and commercial customers.”