A deal signed on Thursday between Bell Canada and Lucent Technologies will help the telco expand its digital subscriber lines (DSL), Internet services and wireline networks in Ontario and Quebec, according to the companies.
Under the agreement, Lucent will provide Bell with next-generation broadband access equipment in its networks. Specifically, Bell will use Lucent’s AnyMedia Access System, which offers integrated voice and broadband services on a single platform such as plain old telephone service, (POTS) integrated service digital network (ISDN) and DSL.
Lucent’s Navis AnyMedia Element Management System (EMS) software is also enabling the expansion of service. The software allows for a permanent centralized or regional management point, where the network can be monitored, provisioned and controlled, Lucent said.
Bell began the process of putting the operational system in place last year and is currently rolling out the technology to major urban centres, namely Toronto and Montreal. While Bell has targeted the Toronto 416 area code because of its rapid expansion, Internet services will be offered in remote areas as well
“It gives us the ability to do DSL in remote locations and provide DSL in new development areas from day one for when we do expand into those remote areas,” said Louis Boire, associate director in technology development at Bell Canada in Montreal. Boire would not elaborate as to which remote cities Bell would be moving into or the timeline for doing so.
The companies are online at www.lucent.com and www.bell.ca.