State-of-the-art Wi-Fi solution, vendor independence, easy management, and Smart Home platform. Icotera addresses the demand for future-proof P2P fiber networks with their latest innovative layer 3 P2P Residential Fiber Gateway - the i6800 - expected to be a layer 3 CPE blockbuster
"We wanted to make the successor to our previous and highly successful P2P Layer 3 gateway – the IGW 3000 P2P - future-proof in all the ways we could think of, especially in terms of Wi-Fi, says Peter Lund, CEO at Icotera. He underlines four key features of the new i6800 gateway:
- Innovative Wi-Fi solution
- Vendor independence
- Easy management and installation
- Unique Smart Home platform
Innovative Wi-Fi solution
With Wi-Fi becoming the preferred communication technology inside the home, the need for fast and stable wireless connections is becoming ever more important. The i6800 CPE delivers not only backwards compatibility with any 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi certified device, but also includes the very latest standard - 802.11ac. With the added 802.11ac solution, the i6800 is capable of delivering up to 6 times the bandwidth of similar products on the market.
“Stable Wi-Fi at end-user premises is one of the biggest concerns for today’s network operators and service providers” says Kim Esben Jørgensen, CTO at Icotera. “With this product we are bringing a fantastic Wi-Fi solution to market that enables end-users to experience stability from wireless connections on pair with fixed connections. Together with LAN, VoIP, CATV and USB 3.0 interfaces, this product really outperforms comparable products on the market”.
Vendor independence
Another key future-oriented feature of the i6800 is the fact that it is vendor independent. The i6800 CPE is not locked-in to any proprietary back-end network systems and it allows for other third-party access points to be connected to the Icotera CPE – since vendor independence is at the core of Icotera’s products.
For the network operator and service provider, this means that there are no limits whatsoever as to what systems and products they can include in their network architecture - before and after the fiber termination point.
Easy management and installation with TR-069 and auto-provisioning
The i6800 FTTH gateway requires less work from operators and service providers. Firmware upgrade is completed very fast and in a fail-proof manner with dual-bank firmware upgrades. Also, there is no requirement for network operators to invest in expensive (and vendor-locked-in) management systems, the i6800 is prepared for the majority of today’s management systems. The new Icotera FTTH gateway can be controlled by a number of management protocols (e.g. SNMP, CLI via SSHv2 or Telnet, TR-069 and an operator-friendly web interface) or Icotera’s fail-proof zero-touch auto provisioning mechanism. Furthermore, the i6800 FTTH gateway is continuing the award-winning industrial design from the previous product generation, which includes a unique slide-on design that facilitates problem-free installation of the gateway.
Integrated Smart Home platform with great advantages
Another future-oriented feature is the Smart Home platform integrated into the gateway. This platform offers great solutions for end-users within alarm & surveillance, energy management and home automation, which is offered by the service provider or network operator, providing them with great opportunities for additional revenue streams and increased customer loyalty.
"Imagine a scenario where you in a simple way can unlock your door and turn off your alarm system while sitting at work, to let a plumber inside your house to fix your sink, while having your security cameras checking that he is doing his job. You can schedule electric devices to be turned on or off at certain times, or automatically turn down the heating system at night or while at work to save energy. The i6800 is ready for that with our unique cloud-based platform," says Peter Lund.
Commercial expectations
Icotera plans to launch the product all over Europe, and expects it to be a Layer 3 CPE blockbuster, especially in Central and Northern Europe, where P2P networks are highly appreciated for its future-proof qualities.
"We expect it is going to be a high volume product - it is a very strong offering, addressing customer needs for a high-quality product with the lowest total cost of ownership and with the right features as well as an attractive design. In line with this, the product has already experienced great initial interest with large pre-orders and several new customers testing the product" says Peter Lund.