Zhone rolls out BAN to boost telephony services

A new networking vendor has launched a range of hardware which dramatically reduces the price of broadband services.

A new networking vendor has launched a range of hardware which dramatically reduces the price of broadband services.

The Broadband Access Node (BAN) from Zhone is intended to increase the services that can be offered over a single copper cable on a telephony network.

Vince Kerr, director of Zhone Northern Europe, said: "We are looking to integrate services such as video and voice and data, and by doing that we're going to rationalise the local loop.

"As a consequence, you could say we're going to level the playing field in the service provider market, which has got to be a good thing for the channel."

BAN is the brainchild of a group of ex-Ascend engineers and management. Its founder and vice-president of engineering, Jeanette Symons, was the founder of Ascend.

BAN is an intelligent box that slots into the local exchange. On the other end of the local loop, at the end-users' premises, sits an integrated access device (IAD) linking the customer's IT network to the local telecoms feed.

The intelligent box is then capable of configuring the line so that telephony, high-speed internet and entertainment services can be sent down one line.

Last week, Zhone announced the first phase of product rollout, in which voice and high-speed internet access will be supported.

The IAD at the customer site can be configured remotely, meaning that telco resellers do not have to visit customers' premises to make this service available. Kerr claimed that this will allow new broadband service providers to compete more effectively once the local loop is liberalised and new competitors can install equipment in their exchanges.

"This will dramatically cut the price of installations. We are in talks with new service providers," he said.

The innovation was welcomed by telecoms analysts, but they were guarded about its impact.

One observer said: "There is some merit in Zhone's case. Load qualification will be critical in the fight for broadband customers. But technology is not the only issue - a lot of customer information needs to be transferred."