Kuwait opts for FTTH with Siemens equipment

Fiber Optics Weekly Update, June 3, 2005

The state Ministry of Communications in Kuwait has commissioned Siemens Communications to completely upgrade its access network for telecommunications in six urban areas. This will involve replacing the existing copper-based infrastructure with optical fiber. All users will hence have much faster and more secure network access, with which they will be able to enjoy not only high-speed Internet access in the future, but also new services such as home entertainment, video-telephony, or TV broadcasting.

With this contract, which will be ratified within the next days, Siemens Communications will be upgrading the access network in Kuwait to the latest state of the art. All subscribers will be connected to the telecommunications network via optical fiber instead of copper wires. This will make significantly higher bandwidths possible in the future. The technology used in this project offers a bandwidth of up to 2.5 Gigabits per second on each optical fiber, and this bandwidth is made available to a large number of households via a passive optical distribution structure. This means users can communicate faster and will be able to receive new applications and services such as Triple Play (combined voice, data and video transmission). Another advantage of the Siemens solution is that a purely passive optical network is installed, which cuts out expensive, maintenance-intensive active network elements in the subscriber access area.

With the GPON technology (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) used in Kuwait, cables are routed as close as possible to residential areas and building complexes or business premises (industrial areas). A single optical fiber is then fanned out over passive splitters and laid in a star configuration to each building. There, the link is terminated at an ONT (Optical Network Terminator) or, for a large number of users, at an ONU (Optical Network Unit). The network termination is equipped with one or more Ethernet and voice interfaces for standard telephony.

"At the Ministry of Communications (MOC), we realize that launching FTTH (Fiber to the home) in Kuwait is a daunting task. But we believe that the right big vendor can take on such a responsibility, deal with it professionally, plan well and succeed," says Ms. Hind Al-Aswad, Project Manager, Ministry of Communications Kuwait. "That's why Siemens GPON will be the FTTH system deployed in the capital of Kuwait City and the most important commercial areas. We know we can count on their size and their reputation to ensure the success of this mega project."

The roll-out is scheduled to take place over three years. The first users are set to be connected via the optical fiber network in spring 2006.