JANUARY 17, 2008 -- New Hope Telephone Cooperative has selected Occam Networks Inc. (search for Occam Networks) for the upgrading of its entire service network to point-to-point Gigabit Ethernet fiber-to-the-home (search for FTTH) network for all voice, data, and video services. According to New Hope representatives, this next-generation technology upgrade is made possible through funding provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service program, (RUS).
Headquartered outside Huntsville, AL, New Hope Telephone Cooperative serves 6,000 homes and businesses in the townships of New Hope, Grant, and Owens Cross Roads. To implement the system-wide replacement program, New Hope Telephone has purchased multiple components of Occam's Broadband Loop Carrier (BLC) system, including the BLC 6312 active FTTH Blade, the 6450 10-Gigabit Transport Blade, and 2342 FTTH ONTs.
"We want to build an all IP-based network that offers top-of-the-line services with the maximum performance and protections for our customers," reports Tom Wing, general manager of New Hope Telephone. "While most vendors are talking IP and Ethernet, Occam has been delivering it for over five years."
According to Russ Friedrich of Friedrich Associates, the engineering firm that managed the request for proposal process and the analysis for the RUS-funded project, Occam's products and support structure were a winning combination. "I reviewed a number of service platform options before selecting the system that would provide the optimal mix of services, security, and support," recalls Friedrich. "Occam's active Ethernet system stood head and shoulders above all the available options I assessed for this project. It was a complex process, but a simple choice."
"With their purchase of both the BLC 6312 and the BLC 6450, New Hope will be able to realize their vision of delivering a full range of advanced IP-based services to their subscribers," adds Nathan Harrell, vice president of worldwide sales for Occam. "From true high-speed Internet to IPTV on-demand, we're proud to partner with New Hope to upgrade and enhance their customers' overall experience."
Work on the network upgrade has begun and will continue through mid-2009.
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