Europe’s biggest operator will use ADTRAN’s SDX OLT (optical line terminal) solutions in new access infrastructure and existing architecture.
Deutsche Telekom (DT) will also use the company’s management system, which is controlled by software-defined networking (SDN).
DT’s Access 4.0 programme (which echoes Industrie 4.0) is intended to create an open, programmable, extensible and highly scalable access platform to deliver Gigabit services – quickly and cost efficiently – as a first edge-cloud use case.
Access 4.0
Through this partnership, the two have aligned joint developments for the Access 4.0 project, based on principles defined by the Open Networking Foundation’s SDN-Enabled Broadband Access (SEBA) reference architecture, drafted in March 2019.
The plan for Access 4.0 is integrating software-defined networking (SDN), disaggregated hardware components and network functions virtualisation (NFV) technologies in an ecosystem to gain flexibility while lowering overall deployment costs.
In the first phase, the programme will focus on DT’s fibre access network that must scale to support a combination of residential, enterprise and backhaul services.
Integration
ADTRAN’s SDX OLT solutions integrate into Access 4.0’s SEBA-based architecture to provide carrier-grade GPON and XGS-PON service delivery in an open ecosystem.
DT values ADTRAN’s commitment to build deployable solutions based on the Open Networking Foundation’s VOLTHA hardware abstraction, which enable the operator to rapidly pivot as the market evolves.
“The Access 4.0 program constitutes a true paradigm shift, not only in terms of technology, but also ecosystem, collaboration and agility, through its ability to break vendor lock-in and reduce time-to-market,” said Robert Soukup, Deutsche Telekom Senior Program Manager.
“A key to our success will be ADTRAN’s domain experience, their history of working with DT on its large-scale access initiatives and their commitment to delivering an open, scalable and disaggregated solution.”
Good week for ADTRAN
This is ADTRAN’s second major deal made public this week that involves a European Tier#1 operator after announcing a deal with Orange. It is worth noting that Orange and DT have a procurement strategic partnership, BuyIn, to which they have striven to attract other operators.