Network operators have a lot of choice today when it comes to choosing equipment to help support growth. From the myriad vendors out there, Covad has selected Redback Networks‘ SmartEdge Service Gateway platform to increase network capacity and resiliency for IP-based services.
San Jose, California-based Redback Networks was founded in 1996 and claims a global customer base of over 500 service providers and carriers. Financial terms of the deal with Covad were not publicly disclosed.
The SmartEdge Service Gateway system includes the capabilities of Redback’s SMS subscriber management system coupled with carrier-class edge routing, broadband aggregation and service delivery.
Young-Sae Song director corporate marketing at Redback commented that they were selected because the SmartEdge Service Gateway allowed Covad to consolidate their network infrastructure and deploy a single service platform.
“There were two other larger vendors in the running, but we were able to meet Covad’s service needs with a single platform whereas our competitors required multiple platforms,” Song told VoIPplanet.com
Song went on to explain that Redback’s solution combines edge routing, Ethernet aggregation, and subscriber management (B-RAS) in a single product. In Song’s view, solutions from other vendors require a separate edge router and B-RAS, increasing the number of network devices that need to be deployed and maintained. Some other vendors also offer products that combine the functionality, but they are not as scalable, similarly resulting in multiple devices to deliver what a single SmartEdge Service Gateway can accomplish.
Currently Young-Sae Song sees two things that have affected VoIP adoption: the growth of mobile phones and broadband adoption. In terms of mobile phones Song noted that that there is a a trend that the number of fixed-line phone service subscribers, which includes VoIP, is decreasing relative to the number of mobile subscribers.
“Redback’s solution works well for VoIP, but it also enables additional next generation services. Our technology, once in place, can be used for VoIP, IPTV, or Internet gaming,” Song explained. “Although Covad is currently focused on offering VoIP services, the Redback technology has actually enabled a network that can provide more than just VoIP.”
