April 16, 2004 Hong Kong -- Hong Kong Broadband Network Ltd. (HKBN), a subsidiary of the City Telecom Group, has deployed Cisco Systems' Optical Core Network solution to build a high-availability, high-bandwidth network for its new digital pay-TV service. The Cisco solution has provided HKBN with extensive bandwidth and multi-service capability to generate additional revenue streams and achieve cost savings for its continuous business expansion.
The announcement marks another collaborative effort between Cisco and HKBN. In 2002, HKBN established what it claims is the world's largest Metro Ethernet broadband network with Cisco's Metro Ethernet Switching solution, realizing its goal as a "triple-play operator" in offering voice, data, and video services over a single network.
As HKBN continues to expand and introduce new fixed-network services, it required more advanced, yet cost-efficient technology to deliver carrier-class services. The Cisco Optical Core Network solution provides the company with adequate bandwidth and multi-service capability to introduce high-quality video, voice, and data services. In addition, it enables HKBN to reduce its operating costs by replacing existing telecommunications circuits leased from incumbent carriers with its own optical core.
"Offering diversified products and services are key to win in the competitive telecommunications market," asserts Ricky Wong, chairman of HKBN. "With our own optical core, we are equipped with an unrivalled edge to meet varying customer needs in the ever-changing market. It also allows us to offer more high-quality services in a speedy manner, thus creating additional revenue streams more easily," he adds.
The Cisco Optical Core Network solution empowers HKBN with high data capacity to deliver up to 200 digital pay-TV channels via MPEG-2 4.5 Mbits/sec to 10 Mbits/sec with DVD visual quality. It also features interactive pay-TV elements and enables PC or TV connection with the aid of a set-top box. Because of the network's easily managed and scalable nature, HKBN has rapidly extended its network coverage to 1.2 million homes passed and 550 commercial buildings.
"The Cisco solution has laid a solid foundation for our future development," reports Wong. "Building on such a strong network backbone, HKBN is ready to branch out new services to generate additional revenue and accelerate our speed to market. We are also actively looking into the possibility of wholesaling network capacity as well as 3G [third-generation] mobile services."
The Cisco solution includes the Cisco ONS 15454 SONET/SDH Multiservice Provisioning Platform (MSPP); Cisco Catalyst 6500, Catalyst 4500, Catalyst 3350, and Catalyst 2950 series switches; and Cisco 2600XM Series routers. Cisco contends its ONS 15454 SONET/SDH MSPP with integrated DWDM capabilities is the only platform available in the market that enables HKBN to converge its legacy voice and data services and its new pay-TV service into a single platform, and at the same time offer Layer 2 and 3 Internet Protocol (IP) services on the same platform using Cisco's industry-leading Resilient Packet Ring (RPR)-ready ML Series line cards.
The project was initiated by leading systems integrator Macroview Telecom in Hong Kong. Commenced in early 2003, the project is expected to be completed by December 2004.