Nashville--During this week’s Fiber Connect show, several broadband and optical networking industry networking players released upgrades and new fiber, optical and software products designed to help service providers simplify network operations and customer activation.
Fiber solutions
OFS steps up its MDU/SFU game
OFS is showcasing its core products portfolio for multiple dwelling and single-family units (SFUs). The portfolio includes commonly used OFS products that accelerate fiber installations to and inside MDUs and SFUs, typically available in less than four weeks after order receipt. The core portfolio includes OFS’ InvisiLight® Solutions, EZ-Bend® Cabling, Slimbox® Enclosures, Mini LT and Mini TB drop cabling, field termination options including the EZ!Connector, EZ!Fuze™ splice on connector, and the OFS Fitel Ninja, S-154, and S-179+ Fusion Splice machines. Complementing the portfolio, OFS offers new customers its high-level design and bill of material (HLD/BOM) service for MDU buildings and fiber drop from the pole into the home deployments. OFS can survey buildings virtually or on-site and produce a high-level design optimized to each customer’s unique requirements, with an associated BOM describing the products, part numbers, quantities, and pricing.
STL’s targets U.S. FTTX market opportunities
STL has expanded its networking capability by enhancing its Optical Connectivity portfolio to address the U.S. FTTX market.
STL's Optical Connectivity products enhance fiber connectivity to the premise and deployment including:
OptoBlaze, Multiport Service Terminal, and OptoBolt pre-connectorized drop cable: Already deployed by US providers like Lumos Networks and Archtop Fiber, these platforms enhance network modularity, reduce installation time, and lower connection costs
OptoPull: A pullable field-installed pre-connectorized drop cable
OptoPull: A pullable field-installed pre-connectorized drop cable
OptoPod: A flexible multiport service terminal that is a pre-connectorized plug-and-play solution tailored for fast and easy network connections in space-constrained environments
OptoPed: A distribution system with Optical Pedestals designed and tested to withstand the harshest environmental conditions.
Clearfield CraftSmart® Deploy Reel TAP Box reduces installation times
Clearfield has introduced CraftSmart® Deploy Reel Test Access Point (TAP) Box and Home Deployment Kit (HDK), extending Clearfield’s fiber management expertise and leading-edge fiber connectivity performance into the home. The HDK option offers the Deploy Reel TAP kitted with the home equipment cable and angled wall faceplate for the final connection into the home. These products satisfy a pressing need for industry network operators to quickly convert homes passed to homes connected, yielding immediate return on their fiber investment. The craft-friendly Deploy Reel TAP Box is designed with a rounded profile to provide a safe bend radius for ample storage on the reel of up to 50-feet of excess fiber drop cable coming from the terminal and up to 100-feet of 3mm FieldShield® FLEXdrop® cable that the field technician can deploy into the home.
Optical Networking
DZS serves up remote in-band 100G/400G optical transport capabilities
DZS demonstrated remote in-band management capabilities for next-generation 100G/400G optical transport on its Saber 4400 platform during Fiber Connect 2024. By addressing optical transport form factor modules, including the popular Quad Small Form Factor Pluggable Double Density Digital Coherent Optical (QSFP-DD DCO) transceiver, DZS claims can help providers activate 400G optical transport to the network edge to support emerging bandwidth needs.
By offering in-band management, the Saber 4400 eliminates the need for dedicated fiber or channels to manage these smaller transceivers both locally and remotely. Additional key benefits include reducing space requirements for dedicated management devices in remote cabinets and their associated power consumption while improving time-to-market and flexibility. Further efficiencies can be achieved by leveraging the DZS Xtreme Transport Cloud Manager to deliver remote in-band management and administrative capabilities to all (including third-party) coherent optical equipment.
Software Solutions
Actifai and Sonar Software launch AI-based broadband subscriber acquisition
Sonar Software (Sonar) and Actifai, an AI-powered subscriber acquisition software provider, launched Sonar + Actifai. The companies’ partnership embeds Actifai's AI-powered e-commerce and phone-sales technology directly into Sonar’s billing and operations platform. The joint approach removes typical barriers to technology adoption, enabling Sonar's extensive customer base to access the AI enhancements. BSS/OSS constraints have been a common roadblock to small and greenfield providers’ adoption of the technology. The Sonar + Actifai partnership overcomes this challenge, further democratizing AI technology to providers of all sizes.
RouteThis Launches QoI Insights to Enhance Wi-Fi Customer Experience
RouteThis launched QoI Insights in their RouteThis Certify platform. QoI is a concept introduced by RouteThis in early 2024, consisting of five key performance indicators that allow service providers to measure home Wi-Fi installation success and maintain a consistent high-quality subscriber experience. This new feature makes it easier for operations leaders to have real-time intelligence on Wi-Fi installation quality, continuously improve processes, and maximize field tech performance for increased subscriber satisfaction.
Field operations leaders can use QoI Insights can help identify which technicians are not running a speed test or are leaving a subscriber’s home without testing Wi-Fi coverage in multiple rooms. Future releases of QoI Insights will include aggregated team views, and later in 2024, a dashboard with charts and visualizations will make it even easier for operations leaders to leverage QoI data. RouteThis Certify works with any brand of CPE, allowing service providers to utilize a single solution across their entire install base, eliminating complexity and streamlining WiFi installation processes.
VETRO Mobile helps field crews simplify outside plant management
VETRO launched VETRO Mobile, a platform that helps field crews working on Outside Plant (OSP) deployments by putting the power of VETRO FiberMap directly in their hands. This simplifies crucial tasks and improves efficiency throughout the fiber network lifecycle. VETRO Mobile is now available for purchase. Existing VETRO customers are already experiencing the benefits.
Sean Buckley
Sean is responsible for establishing and executing the editorial strategies of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report across their websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products.