ZEOP Taps Iskratel to upgrade its network, deploy GPON FTTH

The fibre network of French Internet Service Provider (ISP) ZEOP has been upgraded by Iskratel, the European provider of broadband access solutions – enabling the operator to deliver enhanced, triple-play services to its customers and gain additional revenue within just one month of installation.

Iskratel’s GPON FTTH Home Gateway Innbox G68 solution was installed across ZEOP’s network on Réunion Island, providing ultrafast downstream and upstream speeds.

The entire project – from initial contact to completion – was carried out in less than six months, with ZEOP now able to meet customer demand for bandwidth-consuming Ultra-High Definition (UHD) content, Voice-over-IP (VoIP) and internet data.

ZEOP is also benefitting from a new customised centralised management system, based on Broadband Forum’s TR-069 protocol, which enables remote control and configuration of Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), optimising network operation, reducing operational expense and allowing problems to be fixed before customers complain.

In the future, this feature will allow ZEOP to upgrade its offering to a Wi-Fi mesh network through a simple software upgrade to deliver whole-home connectivity and improved customer experience.

“As UHD TV and a multitude of new applications grow in popularity, users are demanding faster, higher-capacity broadband at the touch of a button,” said Xavier Hermesse, CEO at ZEOP. “We needed our network upgrade to be carried out at a similar speed to ensure we continued to deliver the high standard of service our customers have become used to. This high standard that we provide led to us receiving an award for the fastest fixed internet network in Réunion Island for the past two years. Iskratel’s work exceeded our expectations and just one month after the new equipment was installed we are already providing new services to our customers. The unique centralised management system is also proving invaluable, enabling us reduce our maintenance costs by monitoring the network and fixing problems remotely.”

During the project, Iskratel also overcame the challenge of ensuring that the solution provided to ZEOP was interoperable with existing third-party Optical Line Terminals (OLTs) in the network. Throughout the work, Iskratel met strict project deadlines to adhere to ZEOP’s growth strategy.

Kristijan Melinc, Director Global Sales at Iskratel, said: “From contact to complete delivery in less than six months, the project is an exceptional example of what can be achieved with bespoke customised solutions which go beyond the off-the-shelf solutions – highlighting that we are a network partner which is big enough to deliver projects of great scale, but small enough to care about the details.”

Thomas Mila, Sales Manager at Iskratel, added: “Our advanced GPON access technology has provided ZEOP with an innovative solution which can meet the demands of its customers’ rapidly changing needs, without replacing its entire infrastructure.”

Iskratel will showcase its innovative Innbox Home Gateways for GPON and NG-PON, alongside its comprehensive portfolio of next-generation broadband solutions at Booth S08, at FTTH Conference 2019 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, from Tuesday, March 12 to Thursday, March 14.