Paris, France; Martinsried/Munich, Germany; Mahwah/New Jersey, USA. February 8, 2005. ADVA Optical Networking today announced the successful deployment of a nationwide network for France's fastest growing carrier and driving force behind residential adoption of high-speed Internet access in the country, Neuf Telecom. Neuf Telecom's aggressive penetration of the residential and business market necessitated a high-speed, high-capacity network to underpin the large-scale roll-out of Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) services.
Neuf Telecom's total residential and business DSL customers exceeded 300,000 at the end of September 2004, equating to some 500,000 unbundled DSL lines in 2,000 cities. The cities are connected with a high-speed, long-distance network exceeding 20,000 kilometers of fiber optic cable deployed throughout France.
Neuf Telecom selected global optical solutions supplier SAGEM to help backhaul the growing residential and business traffic and expand the capacity of their backbone network. SAGEM partnered with ADVA to deliver the optimal solution: ADVA's metro optical networking system Fiber Service Platform (FSP) 2000, SAGEM's Ionos Network Management System, and SAGEM's installation and maintenance services. The FSP 2000 employs Coarse and Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM, DWDM) and Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) technologies to transport up to 512 applications of any major protocol at speeds of up to 10Gbit/s, and is seamlessly integrated with SAGEM's network management system for operation, control, and provisioning. Under the terms of the frame contract signed with Neuf Telecom in late 2003, SAGEM has deployed more than 220 of ADVA's FSP 2000 systems for city-to-city and central office-to-central office links ranging from 30 to 140 kilometers in distance.
François Paulus, Managing Director, Network Division at Neuf Telecom commented, "We have a clear vision to migrate toward an 'All IP' network and embrace new broadband and triple-play services like voice, Internet, video, and TV - and we have invested ca. EUR 200 million in 2004 to make this happen. ADVA and SAGEM play an important role in making this vision a reality with a backbone network to support the growing demand for next-generation residential services. ADVA's advanced technology and price leadership together with SAGEM's country-wide services before, during and after the deployment proved an unbeatable combination when compared to legacy technology and long-haul optical networking solutions."
"We are supporting Neuf Telecom's unbundling strategy, which requires connecting new Points of Presence (PoPs) to its network on a weekly basis. The inherent simplicity and flexibility of ADVA's FSP 2000 systems and ease of installation made such a large-scale roll-out throughout the country of France possible," stated Patrick Sevian, Networks Division Director at SAGEM.
"Neuf Telecom is among the few truly forward-thinking carriers in Europe, who is leveraging next-generation optical technology solutions to build a business around the growing residential and business demand for broadband services. At the same time, though, they are deploying next-generation technology with a solid understanding of the cost and operational issues involved and creating a profitable, successful business model," added Fabrice Jean, Sales Director, Western Europe at ADVA.
ABOUT NEUF TELECOM
At the beginning of 2004, the LDCOM group became the neuf telecom group. This change reflects the group's history: a new generation telecom group, which has structured its development around the elaboration of its own infrastructures to become one of the leading High-Speed Internet service providers. neuf telecom posted a turnover of approximately one billion euros in 2003. After consolidating its positions over the past two years, the group is now present on all fixed telephone markets and services. neuf telecom offers a complete range of voice-Internet-data products to a broad customer base composed of households, professionals, businesses, large corporations, local authorities as well as telecom operators and ISPs. Further information about neuf telecom: www.neuf.com.
ABOUT SAGEM
Groupe SAGEM is an international high-technology group. A major global player and number one provider of mobile telephones in the French market, SAGEM delivers global solutions and multi-service networks. The third-largest European company in the defense and security electronics market, world leader in fingerprint biometrics, as well as major player in avionics and on-board information systems for aircraft, SAGEM maintains a presence in more than 20 countries worldwide. Further information about SAGEM: www.sagem.com.
ABOUT ADVA OPTICAL NETWORKING
ADVA Optical Networking (FSE: ADV) is a leading global provider of optical networking solutions for rapid and cost-effective provisioning of high-speed data, storage, voice, and video services in the metropolitan area. ADVA's carrier-class Fiber Service Platform (FSP) product portfolio is explicitly designed to enhance services, simplify networks, and reduce the total cost of ownership. ADVA's solutions have been deployed at over 98 carriers and several thousand enterprises worldwide. ADVA's products are sold through an international network of blue-chip distribution partners in addition to its own direct sales force.