Bolt Fiber Optic Services, the fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) based communications subsidiary of Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative, has upgraded its fiber-optic network to support 1-Gbps downstream speeds with GPON equipment from Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU), the systems provider announced.
The triple-play service provider offers Internet, voice over third-party VoIP, and video to communities in rural northeastern Oklahoma the cooperative serves. Bolt’s cooperative members number 30,000, spread out among several rural communities, tribal areas, and a lake resort.
The 1-Gbps services should begin to be available in the fourth quarter of this year. Bolt expects to complete the rollout by April 2017.
“The legacy of the rural electric cooperatives is that of bringing vital utilities to underserved communities. In the 20th century the need was for electricity and today the need is for high-speed, high-capacity broadband. Providing access to ultra-broadband will attract jobs and investment, improve lives through services like telemedicine and e-learning, and allow families to stay in the communities they love,” said Bolt’s Sheila Allgood. “When we first started looking at the scope of the ultra-broadband project we knew we would need to rely upon expertise that we did not have. Fortunately for us, Alcatel-Lucent demonstrated both their ability and also a strong desire to help bring ultra-broadband to northeastern Oklahoma.”
Alcatel-Lucent will provide its 7360 Intelligent Services Access Manager, 5520 Access Management System, Triple Play Express, and Video Systems Integration products. It also will provide systems integration, including the complete architecture, design, engineering and installation services, and third-party platforms for the network’s headend, OSS/BSS, fiber mapping, and Mediaroom middleware and software for IPTV services.
“Alcatel-Lucent has a long history of partnering with municipalities, utility companies and communities to help connect the unconnected. In this case, Bolt took the bold initiative of bringing 1 gigabit ultra-broadband to their cooperative members. Thanks in part to Rural Utility Service funding and support, this community will be able to take advantage of Bolt’s capacity and deploy ultra-broadband much more cost effectively,” concluded Danny Rollins, vice president of national accounts sales for Alcatel-Lucent.
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