nbn Australia has extended its partnership with Nokia for the deployment of the first G.fast-capable Distribution Point Units (DPUs) onto its network.
nbn has deployed the technology to support the cost-effective evolution of its Fiber-to-the-Curb (FTTC) network to meet customer demand for broadband services using existing copper lines.
Nokia is one of nbn's original strategic partners and has developed a DPU solution uniquely designed for Australian conditions and nbn's requirements. The dual-mode units are currently delivering services in VDSL2-mode and provide nbn the ability to remote activate 212Mhz G.fast when they choose to launch higher bandwidth services. nbn will be the first operator in the world to deliver 212Mhz G.fast via in-ground DPUs, typically around 40 meters from customer premises. By using 212Mhz spectrum, nbn will be able to effectively double the capacity of G.fast and achieve close to 2Gbps aggregate upstream and downstream speeds. Nokia also provides nbn with crucial Software Defined Access Network (SDAN) management capabilities that help to streamline processes and improve customer experiences over its multi-vendor FTTC network.
Nokia has a long history of keeping nbn at the cutting edge of broadband access technologies and understanding how to evolve its networks for emerging and future demand. This has included trials of G.fast and XG-FAST for copper networks, Universal NG-PON for fiber networks and Full Duplex DOCSIS (XG-Cable) for HFC. A 2018 G.fast lab trial with nbn delivered speeds of 1.1 Gbps down and 400 Mbps up over a 70 meter copper cable.
Peter Ryan, Chief Network Officer, NBN
Nokia is a long-standing strategic partner for nbn and has played a key role helping nbn meet our deployment goals and understand our options for network evolution.
Zoltan Loteiner, Head of Ocenia, Nokia
Nokia is very proud to have been part of this journey and to employ our unique insight to help nbn best plan its future network evolution. nbn has the benefit of open evolution pathways in each of its network domains and the deployment of G.fast is a key milestone in the capability of its FTTC network.
