India's homes connected with high-speed fiber for the very

Fiber technology is connecting homes in India for the first time to a breadth of high-enddata, TV and communications services. A milestone agreement between Ericsson and oneof India's leading in-building management solution companies is the first step in bringinghigh-speed connectivity to millions of homes in this rapidly flourishing nation.

In a 3000-unit complex near New Delhi residents are enjoying personalized IPTV in high-definition,video-on-demand and other advanced entertainment services. They can download data content at100Mbps and access Wi-Fi in the complex's common areas and gardens. Automated lighting,electricity bill payment and security services are also being made possible with Ericsson's highspeedfiber access solution, including Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON). Ericsson'sbroadband access network is an open network solution enabling residents to select services froman internet service provider of their choice.

Demand for broadband services is quickly growing in India's dynamic market, and GowtonAchaibar, President, Ericsson India and Sri Lanka, predicts that adoption of Fiber-to-the-Home(FTTH) technology will be dramatic.

"Real estate developers and property management companies realize that high-speed broadbandaccess in the home is a value-added differentiator," Achaibar says. "Gratifying user experience,greater convenience and a large and rapidly growing telecom market are all pointers to theimmense potential of GPON in India."

The contract with property management services provider Radius Synergies is the first suchagreement for Ericsson with a customer in India's real estate sector. AK Singh, Chairman andManaging Director of Radius Synergies, says: "This is a great achievement and a significantdevelopment for India's economy, and it would not have been possible without Ericsson's platformexpertise and solution-driven approach. Ericsson's solution enables us to cost-effectively offerresidents a superior communications experience."

The end-to-end fiber access solution from Ericsson includes EDA 1500 GPON system, whichoffers the highest capacity on the market, as well as Micronet and Ribbonet air-blown fiber andmicrocable solutions. The contract also covers implementation, systems integration, consulting,training and support services for Radius synergies.

The GPON network enables converged services for consumers, allowing for a range of operatorofferings - including voice, data and video, as well as services such as connected-home activation,security and lighting control - delivered over Ericsson's deep fiber access network.

President of Ericsson Malaysia, Krishna Kumar, said: “This partnership shows Ericsson'stechnology leadership in the area of high-speed broadband, particularly in providing cost-effectivesolutions for different market needs in line with respective national broadband policies.

“In other countries within this region including Malaysia, Ericsson is spurring broadband growth bydeploying these next generation high-speed broadband technologies, allowing users access tobroadband services and helping them to remain competitive in these challenging times. Ericssonfirmly supports Malaysia's National Broadband Plan to see 50% of household broadbandpenetration by 2010,” he added.