Frontier has begun its G.fast journey in Connecticut, aiming the technology to increase in-building broadband speeds for customers that live in apartments and multidwelling units (MDUs) throughout the state.
By using Nokia’s G.fast technology, Frontier can immediately satisfy its customers’ desire for fiber-like broadband speeds leveraging an MDU’s last hundred meters of existing copper wiring.
Nokia’s G.fast technology incorporates built-in vectoring technology, which reduces cross-talk interference that typically impacts data speeds over copper networks.
Instead of bringing fiber into each living unit, Frontier can bring fiber pairs to each MDU basement location to connect to the G.fast node. The G.fast node will then be connected to the existing copper pairs in each apartment to deliver the broadband services.
Steve Gable, CTO and EVP of Frontier, said in a release that the G.fast approach will simplify the broadband installation and activation process in MDUs.
"Nokia's field-proven G.fast solution will help Frontier quickly bring ultra-broadband access to customers by using the existing copper twisted pair wiring that is often found in apartment buildings,” Gable said. “Without it, we'd have to drill holes and pull fiber into each apartment unit we serve, a time consuming and challenging process that can be frustrating for customers.”
An additional feature of Nokia’s G.fast solution is that it will automate the deployment process via SDN capabilities and compliance with NetConf and Yang models.
Dan McCarthy, CEO of Frontier, told investors during its first-quarter earnings call that G.fast is a key element of broader copper network upgrade plan.
“We will be deploying G.fast technology in MDU applications, providing a highly competitive offering for that segment,” said McCarthy during Frontier’s first quarter earnings call, according to a Seeking Alpha transcript. “Our first application was in Connecticut, and we are pleased with the performance.”
While Connecticut is the first destination for Frontier’s G.fast plan, McCarthy added that the telco is looking to deploy it “more widely into production in attractive markets.”