Golden Belt Telephone deploys Next Generation Services
Millennium Networks completes Golden Belt Telephone Association project for deployment of Alcatel’s OC-48 SONET Mux, Redback SmartEdge Service Gateway systems, and Tut Systems’ digital TV platform as part of a competitive triple play of voice, data and video
Golden Belt will be delivering upgraded Telephony, Internet services, and New Digital TV service to its customers as part of a bundled triple play of voice, data and video. The Golden Belt Telephone Association headquartered in Rush Center, Kansas presently operates 18 exchanges, serving nearly 6,000 subscribers, with over 3,072 miles of line in Barton, Edwards, Ellis, Finney, Gove, Hodgeman, Lane, Ness, Pawnee, Rush, and Trego Counties.
The design, integration and deployment of Golden Belt’s broadband network was a collaborative effort between Millennium Networks, a multimedia telecommunication engineering and systems integration firm, Golden Belt’s Telecommunications team, Alcatel, Redback Networks, and Tut Systems integration teams.
Golden Belt engaged Milllennium Networks, Inc. in January, 2004 to provide them with a “turn-key” solution to upgrade it’s network to deliver broadband services to it’s community of customers. Millennium Networks provided network design, issued RUS formatted RFPs, provided objective RFP product/response comparisons, equipment fulfillment, training recommendations, test equipment recommendations and fulfillment, and Project Management from the beginning to system acceptance.
“Time-to-Market, ease of integration into the existing network, and the use of standards based products were our biggest concerns in moving forward and deploying digital TV over our existing DSL network,” said Gerald Washburn, General Manager, Golden Belt Telephone. “Milllennium Networks provided the experience, guidance, support, and capabilities we needed to accomplish a timely deployment. The network designed and implemented for us by Millennium Networks provides a single, fully integrated network capable of delivering voice, data, and video with a robust infrastructure optimized for value-added services”, added Kirby Hagans, Team Leader, Golden Belt.
As part of its service offerings, Golden Belt plans to deliver digital TV with more than 120 channels, including national broadcast and premium TV, local channels, and a number of Pay Per View channels. All services will be delivered to consumer homes over an upgraded broadband network consisting of new Alcatel 1677 SONET Links, new Redback Networks SmartEdge® Service Gateway systems, and existing AFC’s Access Max DSL equipment. Tut Systems was selected to provide a new fully integrated IPTV digital headend system based on its industry leading Astria® Content Processor and iViewTV middleware.
The Alcatel 1677 SONET Link easily integrated with Golden Belt’s currently installed base of Alcatel transport equipment, while maintaining compatibility and connectivity to neighboring networks. This carrier-class optical bandwidth management platform supports a wide range of interfaces for the deployment of Telephony, Internet, Video, Gigabit Ethernet, and xDSL services. This flexibility allowed Golden Belt to cost-effectively upgrade their network, maintain the highest level of service quality, and enhance the delivery of advanced services to their user community. The use of the Alcatel 1677 SONET Link allows Golden Belt to fully maximize their existing fiber infrastructure, resulting in an extremely reliable and flexible network. By providing grooming functionality, enhanced multi-vendor interoperability, unified management, and SONET-grade reliability for Ethernet traffic, the Alcatel 1677 SONET Link allows Golden Belt to benefit from reduced operational costs through the optimization of their network infrastructure.
The Redback SmartEdge Service Gateway
systems will perform all video multicast replication, subscriber and session management, Internet support, integrated Quality of Service (QoS) and high-performance edge routing. The SmartEdge systems connect directly to the SONET ring with GigE uplinks and with OC-12 ATM links to DSLAMs in each POP. The systems will accommodate xDSL, WiFi access, and future Ethernet Service offerings. Smart Broadband Networks from Redback provide bandwidth, scalability, intelligence and reliability to meet the demands of delivering video over broadband, VoIP and Internet data for the optimal consumer experience. The result is a personal delivery infrastructure that knows users, understands content, governs bandwidth, assures quality and brokers services. Redback’s flagship platform, the SmartEdge Service Gateway family, combines advanced broadband aggregation and management with advanced edge routing and IP services in a purpose-built platform.The Tut Systems Astria® Platform Offers Flexibility and Scalability for Telco TV Deployments
Tut Systems’ Astria® Content Processor family delivers high-quality digital video over the broadband access network. The Astria platform’s advanced MPEG-2 encoders were key to deployment over xDSL links to the homes. The system is upgradeable to advanced compression solutions such as MPEG-4 AVC and VC-1. The Astria content processor’s ability to de-multiplex, re-multiplex and transcode digital streams is extremely important to Golden Belt who pulls digital content over a GigE feed. Digital turnaround and transrating of pre-encoded video streams provides additional customization of channels for transport. ConstantStreamTM processing ensures that bit rate variations are held under 1%, which is crucial due to the source content having VBR encoded channels. The ability to configure bit rate and quality across the range of 1.5 Mbps to 30 Mbps provides the best possible video to Golden Belt’s customers on a channel by channel basis.
About Golden Belt
Golden Belt Telephone Association headquartered in Rush Center, KS has been operating and providing telephony services to it’s customers since 1953. Golden Belt Telephone has 27 full-time and presently operates 18 exchanges, serving nearly 6,000 subscribers, with over 3,072 miles of line in Barton, Edwards, Ellis, Finney, Gove, Hodgeman, Lane, Ness, Pawnee, Rush, and Trego Counties.
In 1995, Golden Belt entered the cable television service by purchasing the Utica CATV system. Since then, 17 additional systems have been purchased. Golden Belt now serves cable television customers in Albert, Bison, Burdett, Garfield, LaCrosse, Lewis, Liebenthal, McCracken, Munjor, Ness City, Offerle, Otis, Pawnee Rock, Ransom, Rozel, Rush Center, Schoenchen, Timken, and Utica.
In 1989, Golden Belt placed approximately 120 miles of fiber optic cable in the ground, and brought into service a digital host central office in Rush Center. The remaining central offices were upgraded to digital service by 1991. From 1998-2002, over 1,000 miles of fiber optic cable was installed. In 2004, Golden Belt completed upgrades and enhancements to provide all services areas with telephony, internet, and television. For more information, visit
www.gbta.netAbout Alcatel
Alcatel provides communications solutions to telecommunication carriers, Internet service providers and enterprises for delivery of voice, data and video applications. Alcatel leverages its leading position in fixed and mobile broadband networks, applications and services to bring value to its customers in the framework of a broadband world. With sales of Euro 12.5 billion in 2003, Alcatel operates in more than 130 countries. For more information, visit www.alcatel.com.
Redback Networks Inc., a leading provider of next-generation broadband networking equipment, enables carriers and service providers to build third-generation Smart Broadband Networks that can deliver simplified, personalized, portable subscriber services to consumers and businesses. The company's carrier-class, consumer-scale SmartEdge Router and Service Gateway platforms for Consumer IP combine subscriber management systems and edge routing and, in conjunction with the NetOp™ Element and Policy Manager platform, provide a powerful, flexible infrastructure for managing both subscribers and value-added services. For more information, visit www.redback.com.
About Tut Systems, Inc.
Tut Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: TUTS) delivers content processing and distribution products for deploying next-generation data and video services over broadband networks. Service providers, content providers and government agencies in the United States and abroad use Tut Systems solutions to deliver broadcast-quality video over broadband networks. Tut Systems is headquartered in Lake Oswego, OR with regional offices across North America, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.tutsys.com or call 971-217-0400. Astria is a registered trademark of Tut Systems, Inc
About Millennium Networks, Inc.
Millennium Networks, Inc. provides turn-key integral Triple Play designs, and complete EF&I for deploying next-generation telephony, data, and video services over broadband networks. Millennium Networks is headquartered in Southern California with regional offices throughout the USA. For more information, visit www.millenniumnetworksinc.com or call 951-776-0591.
Millennium Networks, Inc.
Rick Sommers
Phone: 951-776-0591
Email: Sales@MillenniumNetworksInc.com
Website: www.MillenniumNetworksInc.com