Windstream, VIAVI boosts optical network intelligence

Windstream Wholesale, an optical technology enabler delivering fast and flexible advanced solutions, and VIAVI Solutions, a global provider of network test, monitoring, and assurance solutions – has announced the integration of VIAVI’s Remote Fiber Test System (RFTS) into Windstream’s Intelligent Converged Optical Network (ICON).

This tool further advances network intelligence functionality for Dark Fiber and Wavelength monitoring. Customers will be able to leverage this tool in Q1 2024.

VIAVI RFTS includes FTH-9000 adaptive fiber test heads and ONMSi software. This centralized system combines strategically placed test heads in key network locations to constantly sweep the fiber with an OTDR test signal to identify and locate fiber faults and degradations. Incorporating this solution directly into Windstream’s Dark Fiber and ICON network enables early detection of fiber breaks, elimination of reactive truck rolls, faster time to repair, and increased transparency of and visibility into a customer’s network health and performance. Windstream Wholesale will integrate VIAVI outage and GIS data from the ONMSi platform into Windstream Wholesale’s operational and portal software applications.

Early Detection of Fiber Breaks for Dark Fiber and Wavelengths

Fiber routes are continuously and proactively monitored to detect cable damage (intrusions, bends, kinks, etc.).
Immediate notification of cuts, outages, and degraded service is sent to Windstream Wholesale network operations on behalf of the customer.
Allows Windstream to expand its OTDR capabilities on network routes where in-line OTDR is not available.

Faster Time to Repair

Automation of fiber outage identification reduces coordination times needed with manual OTDR testing processes.
Pinpointed outage data includes GPS location and impacted circuit information immediately identifying where the outage location is.
Reduced Time to Repair (TTR) due to immediate notifications sent to Windstream Wholesale.

Visibility Expanded for Dark Fiber Customers in the iconnect Portal

Dark Fiber customers gain real-time outage location information on a map like Wavelength services.
Customers gain map views of network health in Windstream Wholesale’s iconnect portal.
Available on Windstream Wholesale’s new high-count long-haul dark fiber builds including Tulsa to Little Rock to Memphis (T-Rock Express), Raleigh to Myrtle Beach Jacksonville (Beach Route), and Montreal to Albany to New York City (CanAm2).

“VIAVI is proud to be a long-term partner to Windstream Wholesale, whose deployment and maintenance teams have relied on our test and assurance solutions to deliver high-quality fiber networks to their customers ,” said Luiz Cesar Oliveira, Vice President, Americas, VIAVI. “Service providers are increasing efficiency through enhanced visibility and intelligence as well as simplified troubleshooting processes. VIAVI RFTS is delivering capabilities trusted by carriers globally to the Windstream ICON network.”

“With fiber networks serving as the foundational architecture of our modern world, our society is put on hold when fiber cables break. We are pleased with the partnership that we have with VIAVI and how it enables us to integrate a proactive functionality of OTDR technology into our network— significantly reducing any network impact on our customers,” said Joe Scattareggia, Windstream Wholesale Chief Revenue Officer. “We’re able to detect and respond to outages early and in real-time, communicate to our customers concurrently, and repair those outages faster than anyone else.”

Windstream’s ICON provides open and disaggregated networking infrastructure, enabling wholesale and enterprise technology customers to select unique custom routes, maintain operational insights with Windstream’s Network Intelligence functions, and place their networks closer to the edge to better serve end-users.