BELNET to use Alcatel's 7770 Optical Broadband Exchange IP/MPLS core platform
29 January 2003 -- Paris-based telecoms equipment maker Alcatel says its 7770 Optical Broadband Exchange has been chosen by BELNET, the Belgian national research network for education, research and public communications services, for the backbone of its nationwide IP network.
The 7770 OBX will also serve as the international gateway for BELNET'S nationwide network and will perform the peering to G�ANT, the European-wide research network sponsored by the EC. BELNET operates a high-capacity network to deliver service to universities and research institutes, as well as many government offices in Belgium. Currently, about 340,000 users in more than 150 sites have high-speed internet connectivity via BELNET.
"Our IP network showcases new networking concepts and supports advanced internet applications like streaming, video conferences and tele-teaching," said Pierre Bruyere, chief executive officer of BELNET. "The Alcatel 7770 OBX provides the reliable infrastructure we require for stringent service delivery and dependable up-time. The OBX's service differentiation capabilities complement our requirements as they deliver true quality of service - which is essential for high-quality real-time applications."
Michel Rahier, president of Alcatel's broadband networking activities, said: "We are working with innovative operators such as BELNET to create IP core networks that cost-effectively support the proliferation of high-quality broadband services and prove they are profitable."
The 7770 OBX delivers telco-grade reliability, based on the Alcatel Carrier Environment Internet System (ACEIS), building five-nines (99.999%) reliability into IP core networks. Also, scalability from 100Gbit/s to 1.9Tbit/s of line capacity means that it will grow in line with IP networks for significantly longer than existing routers, it is claimed.