Chunghwa Telecom-Alcatel Lucent to launch G.Fast technology

NEW DELHI: Taiwan’s top telecom service provider Chunghwa Telecom has said that it will commercially deploy G.Fast technology for the first time in the world, in collaboration with Alcatel Lucent.

The new technology will allow the acceleration of ‘last mile’ connectivity to deliver ultra-fast fiber-like speeds to households everywhere. It would basically help the service providers to provide ultra-broadband access to locations where fiber deployment is difficult, using the final length of copper infrastructure extending into premises to deliver ultra-high speeds.

Alcatel-Lucent and its Bell Labs research arm have been involved in the development and implementation of G.Fast, which has already been in trials with more than 30 operators worldwide.

Additionally, G.Fast eliminates the need to rewire entire buildings and homes, the most costly and time-consuming part of any FTTx deployment.

The combination of fiber and G.Fast will enable Chunghwa Telecom to quickly provide fast broadband to tens of thousands of homes in Taiwan within two years, and also meet the country’s National Communications Commission plan to improve fixed broadband access in hard-to-reach residential locations.

Chunghwa Telecom will launch ultra-broadband services using G.Fast to the 8.4 million Taiwanese homes, low- and high-rise buildings in the fourth quarter of 2015.

Currently 68% of homes in Taiwan have broadband cable for Internet access. However, with the growing demand for 4K TV and streaming HD video services, the need for ultra-broadband access is steadily increasing.

"With Alcatel-Lucent’s G.Fast technology we will be well equipped to launch an ultra high-speed network service toward the end of this year and offer our customers the highest broadband service experience, thereby solidifying our leadership in the fiber optics broadband service market ranging from 100Mbps to 1Gbps," said Mu-Piao Shih, President of Chunghwa Telecom.

"By adding our G.Fast technology to its portfolio, Chunghwa Telecom can better meet the demands of any deployment scenario to quickly and cost-effectively connect customers with the highest speeds in a highly competitive market," said Ken Wu, President and Managing Director of Alcatel-Lucent Taiwan.