Release of 02.07.2013

With G.fast Austrian Subsidiary A1 Achieves Data Rates of Over 1 Gbit/s via the Existing Copper Network for the First Time

  • New Alcatel Lucent transmission technology - G.fast - based on existing copper lines is deployed for short loops in residential households
  • In test operations, A1 achieved data rates of up to 1 Gbit/s for a short distance of 100m
  • New FTTB (Fiber-to-the-building) scenario: fiber is brought to the distributing box in the basement of a building

Vienna, July 2, 2013 - The ever increasing use of multimedia applications such as high-resolution TV, video streaming or the up and downloading of pictures over the Internet requires the rollout of high-performance data networks for households. In the existing dwelling units, the Austrian subsidiary A1 is pushing ahead with the deployment of technologies that leverage existing copper lines. Together with its technology partner Alcatel-Lucent, A1 demonstrates the latest developments in this area based on a new transmission technology, G.fast, which achieves data rates of up to 1 Gbit/s per household.

G.fast Brings High-Performance Internet into Existing Dwelling Units
In new dwelling units, A1 is currently rolling out its high-performance fiber optic technology up to the living space (Fiber-to-the-Home, abbreviated FTTH), whereas the large-scale replacement of copper lines in existing dwelling units is proving very time-consuming and can be realized only over the long term. Against the backdrop of ever-rising requirements in terms of high-performance data connections, Alcatel-Lucent has succeeded in developing a technology that reaches data rates similar to FTTH in the last section of existing copper lines. G.fast is particularly well suited for short loops of roughly 100m and for use in multi-dwelling units.

“As a leader in fixed broadband and a pioneer of vectoring - being the first vendor to ship 1 million VDSL2 vectoring lines - Alcatel-Lucent is ideally placed to help Telekom Austria understand the potential of G.fast and vectoring. G.fast underlines the specialist expertise Alcatel-Lucent brings to customers like Telekom Austria as they expand their footprint of ultra-broadband access coverage. While this is only a trial, the impressive results show the enormous potential of G.fast for service providers around the world”, said Federico Guillen, Leader Business Line Fixed Access Alcatel-Lucent. G.fast is currently undergoing standardization and will be commercially available in the coming years.”

An Ideal Complement to A1 Broadband Strategy
In terms of network planning, the G.fast technology allows for a new rollout scenario for A1 fiber optic network: fiber is rolled out up to the distributing box in the basement of a dwelling unit (FTTB). Existing copper lines within the building are maintained, thus no structural changes in the building are necessary.

“Telekom Austria Group´s A1 was an early adopter of Alcatel-Lucent’s VDSL2 vectoring because we understand the value of upgrading our existing copper infrastructure to give our customers the best possible broadband service. We are pleased to be working with Alcatel-Lucent at the cutting-edge of fixed broadband technology to look at the possibilities of G.fast vectoring”, said Hans Pichler, Group Chief Technology officer, Telekom Austria Group.

The new rollout scenario FTTB based on the G.fast technology is an ideal complement to A1’s widely applied FTTC (Fiber-to-the Curb) and FTTEx (Fiber-to-the Exchange) configurations, which have been used so far for cluster housing units and residential settlements.

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