Attending to the growing demand for increased network coverage and high speed broadband services at a cost-effective bargain, Alcatel-Lucent has announced the availability of new ‘Ethernet in the First Mile’ (EFM) platform, that enables service providers to augment the capabilities of the currently deployed copper networks.

A member of the Ethernet Business Access family, 1532 Copper Line Access Switch (CLAS), is believed to be able to give sizeable hike to the data turnout on copper networks, by offering symmetrical bandwidths and services at rates up to 480 megabits per second (Mb/s) over bonded copper pairs.

Directed to the enterprise customers, the offering is a hybrid Packet/TDM platform that lets providers render high-speed broadband services like virtual leased lines (VLL), virtual private LANs (VPLS) as well as IP-virtual private networks (IP-VPNs) – to an increased number of business customers.

Speaking on the occasion, Dave Geary, President of Alcatel-Lucent’s Wireline Networks activities, said, “Alcatel-Lucent’s Ethernet Business Access portfolio - and the 1532 CLAS in particular – enables our customers to significantly extend the reach of their business access network. Although the availability of fiber has increased dramatically, the vast majority of business sites in the U.S. and Europe haven’t yet made that transition. This Copper Line Access Switch will enable service providers to address a promising new market.”