ECI Telecom enables network convergence

ECI Telecom unveiled a new line of packet optical transport platforms that it claims will enable true convergence of the packet and optical layers in the network, providing operators with significant capex savings, Total Telecom reports.

The Israeli vendor introduced the 'Apollo' family of Optimised Multi-Layer Transport (OMLT) system platforms. There are six platforms in all, covering access to long-haul networks.

"This [OMLT] is where we believe true convergence has finally arrived," Rafael Francis, associate VP of technology and marketing in the Americas for ECI Telecom, said ahead of the announcement.

Light reading reports that Oren Marmur, ECI's head of optical networking and CESR (Carrier Ethernet Switch Router), says current P-OTS systems have not delivered true convergence up until now, but claims the Apollo line really does offer complete flexibility in a single platform in that the various products in the new family (ranging from the metro access to the metro core and even long-haul deployments) can be configured for any combination of optical and Carrier Ethernet capabilities, all of which can be managed by a single OSS.

ECI is hoping that carriers will be attracted to that level of flexibility and the operational savings that come from having a single box (smaller footprint and reduced power consumption).

According to Market Watch, the OMLT goes beyond next-generation packet-transport optical systems, to support the exponential growth of bandwidth in all networks, fuelled primarily by the increased consumption of multimedia services across various sectors and device types, including the evolution to 4G in mobile networks.