Rural Telecom Cooperative expands regional network with Force10 Ethernet switching platforms

Copper Valley Telecom (CVTC) has selected Force10 Networks Inc. to help continue its overall network expansion, in an effort to deliver enhanced broadband services to its rural customer base in Alaska. CVTC deployed Force10 S Series Ethernet access switches to enable the efficient aggregation and delivery of network services over its existing telecommunications infrastructure.

CVTC was recently awarded funding from the USDA Broadband Initiative Program (BIP) grants, which facilitate the deployment of new or improved broadband Internet facilities and equipment. CVTC is using Federal stimulus funding to expand its network by providing advanced data and voice services to underserved rural users.

Prior to deploying the S Series, CVTC deployed several Force10 transport and access products for its primary interoffice fiber and microwave links.

"As a longtime customer of Force10's Traverse product line, we were confident that they would provide highly reliable, cost-effective Ethernet switching capabilities," says Gary Farrell, switching & network manager CVTC. “The S50 paid immediate dividends by providing scalable Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) aggregation for our gateway platforms, giving our network the low-latency performance it needs for delivering advanced data and voice services to our customers."

The S50 provides non-blocking, line-rate switching to meet the performance requirements of demanding networks, while including architectural features that optimize network efficiency. The compact, high-density S50 switch provides 48 GbE access ports and up to four optional 10 GbE uplinks in 1-RU. The S50 runs on the modular Force10 Operating System (FTOS) software, which delivers the inherent stability that is required in aggregation deployments.

"From a unique perspective, rural telcos such as CVTC place a high premium on reliability and responsiveness," says Arpit Joshipura, chief marketing officer, Force10 Networks. "As a result, CVTC has turned to Force10 Networks.”