Top Independent Telecoms Deploy Brocade IP Solutions

Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. announced that the Brocade NetIron MLX series of carrier-grade MPLS routers and the Brocade FastIron family of 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) switches are the IP networking platforms of choice for the United States’ most prominent regional Independent Operating Companies (IOCs) that are building out network infrastructures to deliver converged data, voice, video, and wireless services. Brocade customized IP solutions allow each of these progressive service providers to expand their advanced communication services to underserved markets while benefitting from industry-leading performance and the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO).

West Carolina Rural Telephone Cooperative (South Carolina), Rural Telephone (Kansas), and Etex Communications (Texas) are among the growing list of carriers delivering a broad suite of advanced communications and entertainment services that are not readily available through incumbent local providers. Until recently, access to video on demand, IP Television (IPTV), Voice over IP (VoIP), and higher-speed broadband has been limited primarily to major metropolitan areas. However, the demand for these advanced, bundled services is so strong that Gartner has projected IPTV alone to exhibit a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 35.5 percent between now through 2012.

Working with the federal government to expand advanced telecommunications in rural America, Rural Telephone in northwest Kansas took advantage of loans offered by the government’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to purchase Brocade RUS-accepted carrier solutions. This strategy has enabled Rural Telephone to build a cost-effective and high-performance telecom network infrastructure that provides the same advanced services across its 6500 square mile geography (approximately the size of New Jersey) as are available in more densely populated areas.

“We have seen U.S. Internet traffic double year over year, along with growing demand from our customers for the latest high triple-play offerings,” said Ron Ellis, director of operations at Rural Telephone. “In order to meet customer demands with reasonable costs, we looked to RUS for funding and Brocade to provide advanced IP-based features, carrier-grade reliability, and scalability at unmatched price-performance levels to deliver widespread customers the latest in broadband IPTV, voice, and Internet services.”

Building out converged networks to deliver these services continues the deployment momentum of the Brocade IPv4/IPv6/MPLS-enabled NetIron MLX Series routers. These new services will allow regional carriers to realize increased Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) while reducing churn by establishing a very reliable and high-end customer experience.

High-performance aggregation networks are critical to ensure a high-quality experience to users of next-generation services. By implementing an MPLS infrastructure, service providers can create greater network efficiency, offer better Quality of Service (QoS) for traffic optimization, and build more resilient networks. In addition, they can use a common infrastructure or the delivery of multiple services, thereby reducing their operational and capital costs. The ability to perform sub-50 millisecond failure recovery with MPLS Fast Re-Route (FRR) on the Brocade NetIron MLX Series helps minimize disruption to data traffic flowing through the network.

Delivering triple-play services over its performance-focused fiber-optic network infrastructure, Etex Communications serves customers across approximately 700 square miles of northeast Texas.

“Our broad network delivers a rich blend of major communications from traditional telephone service, to broadband Internet, wireless cell phone, and IPTV services for businesses and consumers,” said Charlie Cano, engineering supervisor in charge of Operations for Etex. “Customer experience is our number one focus, and that requires a routing platform that blends superior performance with significantly decreased operational expenditures. Brocade’s dedicated support allowed for a smooth and seamless network upgrade, allowing us to focus on our core business and satisfying customers.”

West Carolina Rural Telephone Cooperative (WCRTC) provides a broad range of telecom services ranging from local telephone, long distance, wireless, cable TV, Internet, and data services to directory publishing. These services build on the company’s more-than-60-year legacy of providing communications services to both residential and business customers.

“At West Carolina Rural Telephone we provide customers with the best experience in high-definition entertainment, coupled with outstanding voice and data communication services. Therefore, it is mission critical that our network performance, capabilities, and features are based on industry-leading technologies,” said Russell Clark, Plant Operations Manager for West Carolina Rural Telephone Cooperative. “With Brocade’s new ability to provide everything from powerful SANs to efficient and high-performance MPLS metro routers, WCRTC is better suited to attract new customers by delivering more and higher-quality telecommunications services.”