Indian cable operator DEN Networks said that it is leveraging Alcatel-Lucent’s products to provide ultra-broadband Internet service, called DEN Boomband, which is offering speeds of upto 100 Mbps to homes and businesses in India.
The service is being provided to new customers as well as those already served by the existing DOCSIS-based network. In some areas of the network Alcatel-Lucent’s technology is providing backhaul connectivity, with the existing coaxial cable being used for ‘last-mile’ service delivery.
“Broadband is our key thrust area and we constantly strive to make the experience fast and consistent for our customers. With Alcatel-Lucent’s fiber and IP routing solutions we now extend our high-speed Internet connectivity and services superfast surfing experience to more people and businesses around the country,” Pradeep Parameswaran of DEN Networks, said in a joint statement.
Broadband penetration in India is predominantly wireless-based today – with only 18.9 million people accessing the Internet via fixed connections – a fraction of the country’s 85 million broadband and 267 million total Internet users. Increased uptake of video is driving demand for higher speed broadband connectivity in the home and enterprises too want faster data delivery.
Since September 2015, Alcatel-Lucent has been deploying its GPON (gigabit passive optical networking) fiber-to-the-home, Ethernet aggregation and Broadband Network Gateway IP routing technologies with DEN Networks to deliver high-speed ultra-broadband access for homes and businesses using both fiber-to-the-home and fiber-to-the-node technologies to serve individual and multi-dwelling residences.DEN Networks is planning to use fiber-optic access technology to expand the service to 8.5 million city homes within three years.
“This project marks a key breakthrough in the important Indian cable market. Working with the DEN Networks on an in-depth study and trials, we were able to show how our IP routing and GPON technology would help it scale to better meet the growing demands of their customers,” said Srini Sundararajan of Alcatel-Lucent.
DEN Networks is offering services in the fast-growing broadband market, where cable and satellite pay-TV subscribers are estimated to rise to 175 million by 2019, from 139 million today. It has a customer base for its cable TV service of 13 million throughout 200 cities.
