Ribbon/ECI, TIM upgrading Italy’s LightNet research and education network
Ribbon Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: RBBN) says it has partnered with Italian service provider TIM to upgrade the University of Trieste's LightNet research and education network (REN). Ribbon is supplying elements of its E-Line and E-LAN protected services portfolio, part of the Neptune and Apollo product lines it gained when it merged with ECI Telecom (see “Ribbon Communications to acquire ECI Telecom”).
Established in 2006 by the academic and research community of Trieste and GARR (Italy's national REN), LightNet connects its users in Italy's Friuli-Venezia Giulia (FVG) region to the GARR backbone. The approximately 245-km network covers the entire territory of Trieste and is also directly connected to the ARNES REN with two cross-border fiber links with Slovenia. The upgrade project is being funded via a 1.5 million euro grant from the FVG Regional Government.
The three-year turnkey open project, which has already begun, will see Ribbon and TIM replace LightNet’s legacy network in the city of Trieste and the regional extension of the network that connects universities and research centers. The new infrastructure will see the Apollo ROADMs create a dynamic optical layer for the backbone, and Neptune platforms support E-Line and E-LAN service delivery. Ribbon's Muse network management system will provide end-to-end management.
"Learning environments and research centers have become increasingly digitized or digitally-led, making access to reliable, resilient, and competitive connectivity services essential," said Giorgio Giorgetti, LightNet technical director at The University of Trieste. "Our high-capacity connections with the national REN GARR, our cross-border links with Slovenia's REN ARNES, and the use of supercomputers for AI simulation and big data analytics have increased our users' need for a high capacity, scalable, and adaptable network that cost-effectively meets shifting requirements. We're pleased to be working with Ribbon and TIM for this upgrade."
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
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