2019.03.12 – Broadband Forum and UNH-IOL expand Gfast certification

Broadband Forum and UNH-IOL expand Gfast certification to include highly anticipated 212 MHz technology

Products from ADTRAN, Intel, NetComm, and Nokia are among the first to be certified for 212 MHz operation, as operators prepare for an enhanced gigabit services over copper era

Fremont, California, 12 March 2019: The first five devices to have successfully completed Broadband Forum’s and the University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory’s (UNH-IOL’s) new 212 MHz Gfast certification program were revealed today, representing an important landmark for operators looking to deliver enhanced gigabit services over copper.

Carried out by Broadband Forum’s approved Gfast test laboratory, the UNH-IOL, the certification demonstrates interoperability between 212 MHz Gfast products, indicating market readiness for multi-vendor deployment – a primary factor for mass market deployment.

The current Gfast certification program tests bit rates up to 1.45 Gbps, and Broadband Forum is developing further specifications which are expected to test performance at even higher bit rates.

Delivering higher performance and gigabit speeds over a wider range of deployment scenarios, 212 MHz Gfast holds huge potential for operators. Demonstrating interoperability through Broadband Forum’s certification program gives operators confidence that the technology can be delivered at scale, reducing test time and accelerating mass deployment.

The first companies to achieve the 212 MHz Gfast certification after working with Broadband Forum and the UNH-IOL are ADTRAN, Intel, NetComm, and Nokia. Certified devices are publicly listed as part of the Broadband Forum’s program here. This will be updated when additional devices are certified.

The 212 MHz Gfast certification builds on the Gfast certification program run by Broadband Forum and the UNH-IOL, asking vendors’ products to meet higher performance requirements. The testing is carried out over distances of up to 400 meters.

Operators are well-versed in the benefits of Gfast which enables ultra-fast speeds to the underserved Multi Dwelling Unit (MDU) market and is a powerful complement to fiber network buildouts. The advent of 212 MHz Gfast takes these services over copper to another level, aligning the copper service offerings with hose of full fiber and further simplifying the operations of broadband networks. This new certification program will help operators deploy this new groundbreaking technology quickly and more cost-effectively.

More companies are expected to complete the certification following the next Gfast Chipset & System Integrator Interoperability Plugfest, which is taking place this week at the UNH-IOL facilities in Durham, New Hampshire, USA.

Our Gfast certification program is one of our most successful, with more than 40 certifications to date. However, we expect the addition of highly anticipated 212 MHz Gfast technology certification to ramp up dramatically in 2019. Our membership has been very vocal about their desire to take advantage of this powerful new technology as it becomes available, and we are proud that Broadband Forum and UNH-IOL have been able to efficiently respond to this demand with the launch of our 212 MHz certification program just as this new technology is coming to market.

For more information on the Broadband Forum’s work on Gfast, visit: https://www.broadband-forum.org/projects/major-projects/gfast

For more information on the UNH-IOL’s work, see: https://www.iol.unh.edu.

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For more information about the Broadband Forum, please go to https://www.broadband-forum.org or follow @Broadband_Forum on Twitter. For further information please contact Brian Dolby on +44 (0) 7899 914168 or brian.dolby@proactive-pr.com or Jayne Brooks on +44 (0) 1636 704 888 or jayne.brooks@proactive-pr.com.

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