Entrisphere's BLM 1500: all-in-one last-mile solution

Telecommunications Americas, March, 2005

www.entrisphere.com

Facing fierce competition from cable, the ILECs' need to overhaul their networks to deliver a set of sticky services has never been more pressing. And while this is a necessity, operators traditionally have been faced with the challenge of building a new overlay network to support every new service. Santa Clara, Calif.-based Entrisphere argues the best approach is one that's integrated, but non-disruptive and lets the operator migrate customers to an emerging service on a line-by-line basis.

Enter Entrisphere's BLM (broadband loop multiplexer) 1500. Collapsing multiple access, data and transport functions into one platform, the BLM is an MSAP (multi-service access platform) that integrates the functions of a PON (FSAN-based OLT), BLC (NGDLC/DSLAM), packet voice gateway, IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol) routing for video and SONET/GigE transport.

Deployed in an RT or CO, the BLM 1500 incorporates a 60 Gbps redundant switching fabric to deliver any service (video, high-speed data, packet voice, Ethernet and transparent LAN service) from any slot. The product's architecture incorporates two redundant switch fabric/node controller packs and 16 universal application slots for network or subscriber interfaces.

Serving as an incremental fiber and packet transition platform, the BLM can support traditional copper-based ADSL/ADSL2 and PON. As an FSAN-compliant PON solution, the BLM can support 896 PON ONTs per system and is interoperable with third-party ONT (optical network terminals). As a BLC, the product supports 672 ADSL and POTS lines per chassis. In addition, the BLM can support a combination of 672 ADSL2 and POTS. With simultaneous support for Class 5 and softswitch voice, the BLM's integrated voice gateway supports H.248 softswitch interfaces and standard GR-303 and TR-08 for Class 5 switch networks. To add Ethernet services, a carrier simply inserts an Ethernet pack in an RT or CO terminal. Similarly, TLS is offered via 1000Base-SX packs in a CO terminal to aggregate Ethernet traffic from 100Base-FX packet in BLM 1500 RTs.

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Since no two carriers will approach video the same way, the BLM can be deployed to serve both RF overlay on PON, IPTV over PON and ADSL2 . With an integrated hardware-based IGMP router function and multicast fabric, carriers can create new revenue sources by delivering video to copper and fiber-based customers.

The BLM also supports various data aggregation, multiplexing/transport and TDM grooming functions. On the data aggregation side, the BLM supports ATM, Ethernet and ATM-to-Ethernet bridging, while the transport side features SONET, OC-48 UPSR and GigE. Perhaps the most compelling feature: The integrated 3/1/0 cross-connect prevents a carrier from having to purchase multiple ADMs.

"When carriers put a box out in a remote terminal, they want one that's flexible," said Michael Howard, principal analyst at Infonetics Research. "They want to do POTS, different flavors of DSL, PON and extend Ethernet to customers. They don't want to have to buy a DLC, DSLAM, PON, and have three different kinds of equipment sitting in a RT enclosure. Entrisphere has had time to develop the product with experienced staff that knows what the RBOCs and IOCs want."

To simplify network adoption, the BLM is not only OSMINE certified, it's also compliant with standard cabinet solutions from CommScope and Emerson. This is rounded out with its EMS (Element Management System), EntriView and its own VNE (Virtual Network Element) technology. To minimize change from a carrier's present mode of operation, VNE enables carrier operations teams to manage each BLM functions as discrete network elements. As a full function EMS, EntriView ensures that the BLM 1500 will integrate with a carrier's OSS for legacy and emerging services.

The platform already has a series of cable MSO deployments, three Tier 1 IOC lab trials and a Tier 1 ILEC lab trial. TDS, the 12th-largest ILEC, is using the BLM as the foundation for its triple-play initiative.