China Telecom steps to Alcatel-Lucent for FTTH network expansion
China Telecom (NYSE: CHA) has set an ambitious plan to build out a Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network across 31 of the country's provinces.
To make this network reality, the service provider has awarded Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU)Shanghai Bell, Alcatel-Lucent's flagship company in China, a €100 million (USD125 million) contract.
Completing this 31-city FTTH network is part of the service provider's "Broadband China Fiber Cities" plan, which has set a goal of bringing FTTH coverage to 100 million households and almost 30 million subscribers over the next three years.
For this project, Alcatel-Lucent will supply its 7360 Intelligent Services Access Manager (ISAM) system, a platform that simultaneously supports GPON and EPON technologies.
China Telecom has been clearly one of the most aggressive Asia Pacific-based telcos rolling out FTTH. As of the end of 2011, the telco's FTTH network passed 4.5 million homes in China, with 1.3 customers purchasing FTTH-based services.