Zhone Helps Yadkin Valley Telephone Expedite FTTH Project

Zhone Technologies has announced another broadband stimulus win with Yadkin Valley Telephone Membership Corporation.

Over the next three years, Yadkin will use Zhone’s MXK intelligent gigabit passive optical network (GPON) solution, as well as its zNID optical network terminals (ONT), to extend high-speed fiber optic connectivity to 5,783 homes, businesses and schools in the rural North Carolina counties of Yadkin, Davie and Iredell.

Yadkin had been using Zhone’s MALC copper solution, specifically its ADSL2+ and POTS systems, to deliver high-speed data and advanced voice services to customers within its service region for many years but decided to upgrade to Zhone’s GPON technology in 2007 as part of a FTTH rollout plan.

While Yadkin has already passed more than 16,000 homes and businesses – or 42 percent of structures within its footprint – targeted for this long-term project through internal funding, the recent $21.6 million award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will enable Yadkin to more quickly and efficiently reach the rural communities using Zhone’s single line multi-service (SLMS) access systems.

The future-proof design of the MXK, coupled with Zhone’s utilization of Home Phoneline Networking Alliance (HPNA) technology for deployment of the zNID GPON ONTs, will minimize customer impact and installation time for Yadkin during the rollout of both current services and new advanced services that may be offered in the coming months.