Nokia is to supply its Broadband IP Access solution to the French arm of Easynet, a pan European Internet Service Provider, for trials organised by the French Regulatory Authority for Telecommunications (ART).
The equipment will be used to evaluate the performance of DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) technology and the co-operation between Easynet and the operator France Telecom, as the so-called 'local loop' is unbundled. Broadband DSL technology provides homes and businesses with very high-speed digital services via existing copper phone lines. Besides offering the user a high-speed modem connection, it allows the same line to be utilized for simultaneous Fast Internet access as well as telephone services.
As part of the agreement, Nokia will supply its two stage DSLAM platform that will give Easynet the ability to provide customers with ADSL services. The platform also offers flexibility to provide a choice of fast Internet services based on other technologies such as SDSL and G.Lite.
Easynet's future DSL strategy will make full use of the de-regulation of the 'local loop' and as one of the selected participating trialists for 'Unbundled Local Loops' intends to launch its own end to end DSL service as soon as possible.
"As a pioneer in the introduction DSL services in Europe, we are pleased to begin trials using the scaleable Nokia DSL solution, " says Hervé Le Roy, DSL Project Manager from Easynet France. The introduction of DSL services promises the customer fast, low cost access from their Local Area Networks, and we expect even greater benefits to our customers in future in terms of speed, service, and value for money."
"Nokia is a world leader in the supply of advanced DSL technology. In supplying Easynet with our leading edge DSL solution for the ULL trials in France, we aim to support them during all phases of the trials," said Paul-Henri Ferrand, Area General Manager, Nokia France and North-West Africa. "The agreement with Easynet follows several other agreements we have with our operator and ISP customers for these trials in France."
Easynet is a European corporate Internet Service Provider and telecommunications company providing a range of Internet access products primarily targeted at corporate subscribers, including: hosted servers and web sites; PSTN access; ISDN access; leased line access; and DSL access for networks and individual users. Easynet currently operates in the UK, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium and Spain, and has network access points and operating centres in each such country, linked to each other and to the US by national and international circuits.
About Nokia
Nokia is paving the way to the mobile information society with its innovative products and solutions. Nokia is the leading mobile phone supplier and a leading supplier of mobile, fixed and IP networks including related services. It also supplies multimedia terminals and computer displays. In 1999, net sales totaled EUR 19.8 billion (USD 19.9 billion). Headquartered in Finland, Nokia is listed on the New York (NOK), Helsinki, Stockholm, London, Frankfurt and Paris stock exchanges and employs more than 60,000 people.
Further information:
Communications Department
Nokia Networks
Tel. + 358 9 5113 8193
Nokia.networks@nokia.com
www.nokia.com
Notes to Editors:
SDSL (Single-Line Digital Subscriber Line) is a symmetric service available at speeds up to 1.5Mbit/s for both uploading and downloading. SDSL offers high quality of service and LAN-like speeds for remote workers. It is especially useful for large file transfers, video conferencing, distance learning, and fast Internet access.
G.Lite is a standardized asymmetric high-speed service that provides roughly 1.5 Mbit/s downstream and 0.5 Mbit/s upstream and is ideal for mass-market consumers and Internet users. It is seen as the more economical version of full-rate ADSL and therefore is likely to be most attractive to casual Internet users for basic web surfing and remote data access.