Ethernity Supports NG G.fast

By Paula Bernier
Executive Editor, TMC

Israeli company Ethernity (News - Alert) Networks was at Broadband World Forum last week in Berlin talking up the NG G.fast capabilities of its ENET4840z/99 Carrier Ethernet flow processor device.

“NG G.fast will bring a new wave of products and drive development of new technologies including different flavors of NGPON,” said Eugene Zetserov, vice president of product marketing at Ethernity Networks. “And as a leader in broadband data path solutions, Ethernity is ready to support it all. The huge benefit to our customers is that [this] FPGA solution enables us to add new functionalities without a new chip – smoothly supporting the new technology."

The company’s solution aligns with the latest ITU-T recommendations to include 212MHz spectrum support and coordinated dynamic time allocation functionality. It also has low power consumption and can be used for Reverse Power Feeding deployments.

As Telecompetitor reports, the next generation of G.fast chips will enable network operators to deliver gigabit speeds over existing coax or twisted pair copper at distances of 100 meters or more. The story added that four of the five largest U.S. network operators have voiced plans to use G.fast.

AT&T is one of them. The company on August announced plans to use G.fast to serve apartment and condomium residents in Boston, Denver, Minneapolis, New York City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Seattle, and Tampa, among other locations.

"We're tapping into the existing internet infrastructure in some multifamily properties to bring ultra-fast internet in less time and with less disruption than replacing the network with fiber," said Ed Balcerzak, senior vice president, AT&T (News - Alert) Connected Communities. "While fiber to the unit remains the best broadband solution for most properties where possible, G.fast and fixed millimeter-wave provide connectivity to properties that aren't able to support fiber. AT&T is committed to providing apartments and condos with connectivity across the nation, and innovations such as G.fast are helping us to do that."

However, Point Topic in a September report said adoption of G.fast in the U.K. has been slower than expected. The research firm initially expected this technology to pass 100,000 premises by the first quarter of 2017. That’s now been amended to pass 100,000 premises by the end of this year.