Just as it gets ready to launch 4G LTE wireless service in an estimated 25 to 30 commercial markets later this year, Verizon Wireless is putting the pieces of its wireless backhaul network in place.
On the network infrastructure side, the operator has turned to its LTE radio access and IMS supplier Alcatel Lucent for wireless backhaul equipment that will help it backhaul traffic from cell sites to its core network. Verizon Wireless will deploy Alcatel-Lucent's 7750 service router, 7705 service aggregation router and its 5620 service aware manager.
According to a Light Reading Mobile article, Verizon Wireless is just one of many wireless operators that have opted to leverage Alcatel-Lucent's gear for their respective LTE-based wireless network deployments. "It's not just Verizon Wireless that's taken the 7750 and 7705--NTT DoCoMo Inc. has taken the 1850 TSS, while one of the leading LTE carriers in Europe is also using Alcatel-Lucent equipment in the backhaul," said Patrick Donegan, senior analyst, at Heavy Reading.
Verizon Wireless' drive is also a boon for several wholesale service providers. Not surprisingly, Verizon Wireless is leveraging its wireline wholesale counterpart Verizon Global Wholesale for fiber to the cell site connectivity for 3,500 cell sites across 25 states.
Outside of the Verizon wireline region, Verizon Wireless is leveraging fiber and microwave-based links from a host of alternative carriers in various regions including: CenturyLink (Nevada), Conterra Broadband (North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia), Duke Net (Southeast), FiberTower (Ohio and Michigan), PalmettoNet (Carolinas), Paradigm Telecom (South), Qwest (Western markets), Telecom Transport Management (Minnesota), and USCarrier (Georgia and Alabama).
For more:
- see the Verizon LTE release here
- Light Reading Mobile has this article
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