Dark Fiber

TMCnet Contributor

MRV Communications, a provider of Carrier Ethernet, WDM transport and IT infrastructure management solutions, has stated that they have unveiled their new carrier demarcation platform - the OptiSwitch 904-DSL that is capable of enabling high-speed business Ethernet access services over legacy copper networks.

According to the company, the OS904-DSL is a 1RU platform that supports G.SHDSL.bis to deliver high-speed Metro Ethernet Forum (News - Alert) services over bonded copper at data rates up to 22 megabits per second. Featuring small form-factor pluggable ports for 100FX/1000FX interfaces it does not need any devices to be replaced for migration to a fiber infrastructure.

MRV (News - Alert) has claimed that their compact Carrier-Ethernet switching platforms range from the OS9000 metro aggregation series to the OS900 and OS300 demarcation series. OptiSwitch products provide service providers with a full suite of carrier-grade Ethernet services along with high-availability, enhanced quality of services, security, TDM circuit emulation and Ethernet operation, administration and maintenance support. The OS900 series enables premium manageable Ethernet services with extensive traffic management and end-to-end control for Service level conformance.

Customers now are demanding stringent requirements for service level agreements backed by standards-based Ethernet operation, administration and maintenance. MRV has made its OS904-DSL adhere to MEF (News - Alert) OAM Implementation Agreement specifications for offering enhanced connectivity fault management and performance measurement at nanosecond accuracy over bonded copper infrastructure. Also the OS904-DSL acts as the demarcation device at the customer premises and be owned by the service provider. These features will assist the carriers to fix network issues remotely without having to travel to customer premises.

Noam Lotan, Chief Executive Officer of MRV has commented that with enterprises and carriers rapidly embracing business Ethernet services, service availability in areas that have no fiber impose a real challenge, and that's where a product like the OS904-DSL can be so valuable. Their solution enables carriers to deliver Ethernet and mid-band Ethernet services without a complete overhaul of the network, resulting in significant cost savings.

A senior analyst at Heavy Reading has explained that over the years there's been a solid growth in the global market for Ethernet over bonded copper pair platforms to support Ethernet business services. Demarc devices like the OS904-DSL give service providers a competitive edge by enabling them to cost-effectively extend service reach beyond their fiber footprint and transition T1/E1 customers to flexible, affordable, higher-speed broadband connections.

In related news, MRV doubled user density on new IP KVM products and MRV unveiled SFP Transceivers.