Juniper Networks, a leader in secure, AI-driven networks, and NEC Corporation, a leading global IT and network transformation services provider, announced that they are working with Tele Columbus AG, one of Germany’s leading fiber network providers, to create a converged interconnect network (CIN) built on Juniper’s Cloud Metro infrastructure and NEC’s xHaul transformation services, that will converge all its services onto a single, high-performance platform. Tele Columbus is investing in the next-generation network to enable sustainable business growth that can consistently deliver scalable, high-quality digital entertainment and business service experiences while managing costs and environmental considerations effectively. As a key to this initiative, the initial launch of the new platform will take place in early 2023.
Tele Columbus AG is one of Germany’s leading fiber network operators, which reaches more than 3 million homes. Via its brand PYUR, the company offers high-speed internet including telephony and more than 200 TV channels. All of this via a digital entertainment platform that combines linear TV with video on demand entertainment. To its housing association partners the Tele Columbus Group offers tailored models of cooperation and state-of-the-art services such as telemetric and tenant portals. As a full-service partner for municipalities and regional utilities, the company is actively supporting the fiber-based infrastructure and broadband internet expansion in Germany. To remain profitable, relevant and differentiated in a growing, highly-competitive market, Tele Columbus decided to move from its existing network architecture to an open architecture to gain flexibility, increased agility, optimized user quality of experience, as well as significantly improved return on investment (ROI) and total cost of ownership (TCO).
Conceiving Tele Columbus’ Cloud Metro Network
Following consultancy and comprehensive validations led by the NEC 5G Transport Network Center of Excellence (CoE) in EMEA, Juniper’s Cloud Metro solution was chosen by Tele Columbus to create a converged interconnect network (CIN) that enables all consumer and business services to be managed and delivered more cost-effectively from a single infrastructure.
Sustainable expansion for the future was a key consideration for Tele Columbus. Juniper NetworksTM ACX7000 Family of products offer category-leading port speed options to help customers grow in-place as their capacity needs increase, allowing easy transition from 100G to 400G with different choices of optics. The ACX7000’s future-proof performance enables longer system life, better economics and ultimately reduced e-waste.
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The ability of the ACX7000 Family to support scale-out configurations for distributed access enables more optical reach closer to users, helping Tele Columbus to deliver the best possible user experience consistently. The ACX7000’s layer-3 design with better link efficiency enables easy, economical expansion into new sites and investment protection to absorb increased capacity for the future.
NEC is providing xHaul transformation services tailored to meet Tele Columbus’ business requirements. The services are based on its CoE’s global telecom expertise combined with local engineering support for Tele Columbus throughout design, deployment and operation, including training and optimization efforts, to ensure that the introduction of the new platform enhances their service quality and competitiveness.
Flexibility & Agility
Tele Columbus wanted to build its new network and migrate services in a phased approach. The initial phase–data centers, network core and metro network–is underway, with plans to connect the first tranche of subscribers in the first half of 2023. Ongoing phases will follow, leading to a complete, carefully-managed migration to Cloud Metro including automation for operational efficiency over time.
The simplified approach to technology and deployment from Juniper and NEC, including fewer components and a single operating system Junos OS Evolved) end-to-end, was also attractive to Tele Columbus.
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Tele Columbus has a highly proactive approach to its sustainability responsibilities, so it was keen to ensure investment in a new infrastructure that supported its strategy and delivered improved TCO.
“German subscribers – as elsewhere – are already focused on the performance, scalability and reliability of digital services as those will become even more important differentiators in the future. In order to meet these expectations in the context of exponential data growth, we stepped ahead transforming our technology platform and by that shaping our business for the future. The Cloud Metro solution, the partnership of Juniper and NEC and attentive local support matched our needs and has shown us the value of simplicity, innovation and open, multi-vendor principles. This has enabled a migration path that honors Tele Columbus’ vision, sustainability imperatives and commercial considerations front and center,” said Michael Frankle, Chief Technology Officer, Tele Columbus AG.
“NEC is honored to contribute to Tele Columbus’ transformation journey in tight coordination with Juniper. The validation of Juniper’s Cloud Metro in our CoE lab has proven it as a robust, scalable and sustainable solution, and one of the essential pillars to NEC xHaul Transformation Services, to innovate our customers’ transport network to the next generation. NEC is committed to continue supporting Tele Columbus’ business success as a local partner in Germany, as well as our valued customers across the globe,” said Hideyuki Ogata, General Manager, Service Provider Solutions Department, NEC.
“Juniper is thrilled to be selected by Tele Columbus as a new strategic vendor, working alongside our Global Alliance partner NEC. The business strategy driving Tele Columbus’ network transformation confirms that traditional, device-centric “retro metro” network solutions are no longer fit-for-purpose. Our Cloud Metro solution is uniquely designed to overcome the overlapping pressures of service scalability, user experience demands, environmental considerations and operational cost efficiencies that are faced by today’s service providers,” said Brendan Gibbs, Senior Vice President of Automated WAN Solutions, Juniper Networks.
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