Northern Telecom (Nortel) Wins SDH Network Contract for Vietnam
TORONTO -- Northern Telecom's (Nortel's) high-speed, high-capacity 2.5Gbit/2
SDH transmission network has been selected to form the backbone of Vietnam's
new, 3,000 km fibre optic network by prime contractor Telstra International
Ltd and the Vietnamese telecommunications authority, VNPT.
"Foreign investment in banking, oil, mining and tourism is triggering a 65%
increase in Vietnam's international telephone traffic every year, and SDH
technology can pave the way to increased compatibility and efficiency at
worldwide telecoms gateways," stated James Deas, President of Nortel Asia
South Pacific. "This new network will allow Vietnam to significantly
strengthen its access to, and accessibility by, the global business
community. It will also allow VNPT to extend telephone service to a far
greater number of Vietnamese citizens."
The advanced SDH (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy) system will run the length
of Vietnam, from Hanoi in the north to Ho Chi Minh City in the south, with a
number of fibre optic rings connecting several major towns and cities along
the route. With a total fibre optic ring length of over 3,000 kms, this will
be the first 2.5 Gbit/s "add drop" (STM-16 ADM) network of its kind in South
East Asia and one of the longest Nortel ring networks in the world.
"Nortel is extremely proud to have been selected to work with VNPT and
Telstra in the provision of a futuristic telecommunications infrastructure
to serve Vietnam's national and international communications needs," Mr.
Deas added.
Network Management and Supervision centres for the SDH backbone are also to
be provided by Nortel.
Installation has already begun, and more than 30 sites throughout the
country will be completed within the next month, said Mr. Jacques Cadro,
Nortel's General Manager for Vietnam, noting that several of the links on
the ring system will require the 2.5 Gbit/s optical signals to be
transmitted over repeaterless sections up to 140 kms in length. "These
repeaterless sections are the longest we will have provided to date,
anywhere in the world," he observed.
Mr. Deas called this contract "a major reinforcement of our continuing
commitment to Vietnam. "In addition to this new SDH network, we have
delivered switching equipment into the Hai Phong region," he said. "This is
all part of working closely with both VNPT and DGPT (General Department of
Post and Telecommunications) in the ongoing development and deployment of
advanced, world-class telecommunications services for the people of
Vietnam."
Nortel is one of the world's most broadly diversified developers of
communications products, systems and networks in three key market segments -
Enterprise Networks, Wireless Networks, and Carrier Networks (switching,
broadband, and network applications solutions). Nortel provides equipment,
services and network solutions for information, entertainment, and
communications networks operated by telephone companies, personal and mobile
telecommunications companies, cable TV companies, corporations, governments,
universities and other institutions worldwide.
Bell-Northern Research (BNR), Nortel's research and development subsidiary,
is a world leader in designing and developing advanced telecommunications
systems, and operates or supports facilities in seven countries.
Nortel had 1994 revenues of $US 8.9 billion and has approximately 60,000
employees worldwide.
Northern Telecom, Aug 1995
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