Australian ISP Uses RAD Converters to Extend Ethernet Service Coverage over Telstra's Last Mile

Easy Deployment to Off Net Customer Base

21st June 2005: A nationwide Australian Internet Service Provider (ISP) has found an innovative – and cost-effective – way to quickly deploy Ethernet services over Telstra's access network to its own rapidly growing client base.

Island Internet Services, an up-and-coming ISP based in New South Wales, offers their customers a full range of access options, from dialup modems to permanent connections and web-hosting services to broadband DSL connectivity, Voice over DSL (VoDSL), and Voice over IP (VoIP). In order to provide data services to the largest possible customer base, Island needed to go off net and connect their routers over Telstra's ubiquitous PDH network. They did this by deploying RIC-E1 Ethernet-to-E1 converters from RAD Data Communications.

Most Economical and Least Complicated Solution

"Running data traffic over the carrier's existing SDH or PDH network is an excellent way for an ISP to introduce new data service packages and extend its coverage area while lowering operating costs and improving profitability," explains Udi Furman, General Manager of RAD Australia. "The challenge, however, is that SDH and PDH transport networks were designed for voice and not data," he continues. "A compact interface converter like the RIC-E1 is the most economical and least complicated solution for overcoming this obstacle," Furman states. "A converter offers simple, cost-effective connectivity to access networks, including leased line services."

David Blandford of Island Internet Services commented, "We have deployed RIC-E1s in both telephone exchange and customer environments over the last four years and they have performed flawlessly, not a single outage."

Operating full duplex at a rate of 2.048 Mbps the RIC-E1 converts between E1 interfaces and standard data communications interfaces. When equipped with an Ethernet interface, the device transparently connects remote LANs and VLANs over unframed E1 links utilising the full E1 bandwidth. When equipped with a router interface, the RIC-E1 operates as a standard IP router. Interfaces are easily interchangeable given the product's modular design.

RAD offers a full range of 10/100BaseT Ethernet-to-SDH converters, from E1 to E3 and STM-1.

The RAD equipment was supplied to Island Internet Services by Proactive Communication Solutions (PCS), an authorised RAD distributor in Australia.

About RAD

Established in 1981, privately owned RAD Data Communications has achieved international recognition as a major manufacturer of high quality access equipment for data communications and telecommunications applications. These solutions serve the data and voice access requirements of service providers, incumbent and new carriers, and enterprise networks, by reducing infrastructure investment costs while boosting competitiveness and profitability. The company's installed base exceeds 10,000,000 units and includes more than 150 carriers and operators around the world. These customers are supported by 21 RAD offices and more than 300 channel partners in 164 countries.

RAD is a member of the RAD Group of companies, a world leader in networking and internetworking product solutions.