Rural local exchange carrier (RLEC), Lumos Networks is upgrading its fiber network to deploy 10 Gbps services for small business customers.
Adtran announced the RLEC fiber operator is leveraging its 10G fiber access portfolio to bring services to four rural communities in Virginia, with products expected to be commercially available during the first quarter of 2019.
The first four communities include Waynesboro, Clifton Forge, Covington, and Botetourt County, with others to follow.
“The number of applications that require more robust broadband services continues to grow for both residential and small business customers, especially with emerging technologies accelerating network demands,” said Lumos Networks SVP and General Manager Diego Anderson in a statement. “Our partnership with Adtran positions us to create reliable connections with our customers while delivering a level of distinguishing service and support over a fiber-based infrastructure.”
Anderson noted that initially the product offering will feature symmetrical speed tiers of two, four, and eight gigabits per second, but the company plans to offer higher speed tiers down the line based on the agility of Adtran’s platform.
Separately, on Thursday Adtran debuted a new cloud-based software-only performance test offering to help Connect America Fund (CAF) service providers comply and manage FCC requirements that go into effect July 1.
Adtran said the cloud-based system allows service providers to remotely schedule and collect data on CAF performance and latency testing, without the need for extra equipment or by raising privacy concerns.
Adtran’s end-to-end Network Performance Testing product runs on any TR-069 complaint device, including xDSL, Ethernet, DOCSIS, PON, and LTE WAN gateways.
“What excites me about Adtram’s approach here is that they understand how untenable it would be for me to create a testing strategy and roll out to my pre-selected homes and explain why we need to install another box, much less say it’s a government requirement,” CEO of New Lisbon Telephone Company John Greene said in a statement. “Making this an easy software solution that can be managed by Adtran helps me meet requirements and understand my network better to grow revenue to pay for the solution itself. That is super smart and what service providers need.”
The FCC, also on Thursday, voted to adopt rules for the upcoming transition between legacy CAF support in certain price cap areas, and new, auction-based support for voice and broadband.
The CAF Phase II auction ended in August, allocating nearly $1.5 billion in support for broadband in underserved rural areas where incumbent providers declined CAF Phase II model-based support in 2015.