One of only a few vendors in the world to provide end-to-end networking solutions at all levels, Nokia offers last-mile connectivity providing an end-to-end solution for broadband activities. Nokia has a rich history, coming from the DSL era and driving new technologies to powering the biggest networks in the world, including commercially deployed GPON networks. The number one market leader in North America and the gold standard in broadband, Nokia has 70% market share in GPON deployment with customers across all spectrums, from major carriers to market segments such as utilities and municipalities. Nokia is also the market leader in tomorrow’s technologies, investing heavily in research and development.
Last Mile Connectivity
In reaching the end user, the ultimate goal for last-mile connectivity is to provide fiber, but sometimes fiber is too expensive to deploy or might present right-of-way issues. If fiber is not economically efficient, there are other technology options, including fixed wireless access.
The quality of connectivity is not just in reaching the house or end user space, but rather it’s the experience the customer has while connecting, the quality of the customer’s WiFi. Thus, service providers offer WiFi tools to increase customer satisfaction and to reduce churn.
In addition to traditional deployments, Nokia leads in software-defined access networks with platforms that can be deployed in a dual mode – with both traditional and cloud options. This allows customers to decide which way and when to deploy.
Flexible Optical Line Terminals
Nokia offers its partners flexible options when it comes to first-level aggregation boxes in fiber to the home technology.
Central office or cabinet
This is the flagship platform, built as a converged platform with all fiber access technology available on this platform, including GPON, 10G, 25G, and NGPON2. Multiple chassis sizes support all GPON and NG-PON line cards.
Remote/small cabinet
This is a compact and sealed OLT suitable for remote deployments and targeted MDU applications.
Datacenter
This is a high-density 10G SDAN OLT.
All options can be updated from traditional deployment to a software-based model in the future. Standing apart from competitors, Nokia develops its own chip set to be able to keep the base consistent and increase the flexibility of different services available from its boxes. This is very important for tomorrow’s technologies such as 10G, 25G, and low latent technologies such as 5G deployments. Nokia uniquely offers a universal line card, one line card that supports different types of optics and those optics support different types of technologies. For example, you could support both GPON and 25G customers on a single line card.
Nokia offers a variety of shelf sizes and network cards as well as a variety of uplink and switching capabilities to suit your growing communications needs. This variety allows you to future-proof your network. Going from one technology to another doesn’t require a forklift, and that’s the advantage when considering the PON technologies in general.
One Outside Plan with Multiple Protocols
Nokia enables you to use different PON technologies with the same outside plan by having multiple protocols on the same PON. This is very important because making changes to the outside plan is very expensive in fiber to the home deployment, with about 80% of costs being the outside plan, as opposed to only about 20% being the electronics.
Nokia offers both a traditional solution and an innovative solution for supporting different PON technology over the same line card. The traditional route is discrete coexistence over the same network with both GPON and XGS PON customers. But Nokia also offers an innovative solution with its MPM Combo which is one pluggable optic module with both GPON and XGS PON. A universal line card supports optics that can talk both GPON and XGS PON. This eliminates the coexistence model and requires no cutting of the fiber when you want to add XGS PON in future.
Nokia’s multi-PON has 16 cages and will support 25G in the near future.
Flexible Optical Network Terminal and Wifi
Nokia offers a flexible ONT (optical network terminal) based on the end user’s needs, be that residential, multi-dwelling, or business/backhaul. Nokia’s ONTs support a variety of technologies and use cases and can be deployed both indoor and outdoor.
Of course, one important challenge for service providers is addressing the WiFi needs of end customers. About 30-50% of help desk calls from costumes are WiFi related, and it costs about $20-$30 for each call. The service provider ends up with these expenses, and if it can’t deliver consistent quality service, then customer satisfaction drops and client turnover occurs. Therefore, it’s better to have more control and deploy an end-to-end solution. There is a need to provide WiFI that gives a quality in-home experience and empowers customers to troubleshoot the network even before making a call.
Three components influence user satisfaction:
- Routers–stand alone as well as integrated with ONT
- Home console app–the end customer has in their possession, and the app serves a dual role to troubleshoot the data network and help with initial installation of mesh technology
- WiFi cloud control network console–offers visibility to the service provider
Nokia offers a variety of Wifi boxes and extender technology, including integrated ONT with a router, integrated gateways, a premium GPON gateway, and beacon extenders.
Fixed Wireless Access
Nokia allows partners to deploy both fiber to the home and fixed wireless. This is especially important where fiber to the home doesn’t make sense. With 4G and CBRS as the last mile, partners can reach more rural customers. CPEs make this possible, with outdoor receivers where you have lower signal strength or the tower is farther away. Indoor integrated gateways and beacons are good for when distances are shorter.
