A new fiber extension certification program is streamlining the deployment of high-performance networks by broadband service providers (BSPs) thanks to a collaboration between two leading Standards Development Organizations.
“When fiber cannot be laid or installed inside a MDU, or close to the customer premises, G.hn Access technology is an ideal solution for TR-419 Fiber to the extension point deployments by reusing the existing telephone or coaxial infrastructure and it offers a viable and cost-effective alternative for service providers”
Positron Access Solutions and ReadyLinks have become the first certified system vendors to officially pass the Broadband Forum and HomeGrid Forum’s GHNA (G.hn Access) Certification Program. The program combines Broadband Forum-based performance testing with HomeGrid Forum-based compliance and interoperability testing for access equipment.
Designed to accelerate the delivery of high bandwidth content in homes while saving time and money for BSPs, the certification program helps manufacturers ensure their infrastructure meets stringent performance and interoperability standards. As a result, building owners can upgrade their networks over existing wired technology, such as coaxial cabling and telephone wiring.
“The G.hn Access Certification Program points to a robust and growing product market using G.hn technology as a broadband access backbone,” LUMEN Director Strategic Innovation and Vice President of the HomeGrid Forum Tom Barnett said. “Validating the interoperability of G.hn devices in a multi-vendor deployment is a huge milestone for all broadband players involved.”
“This certification program provides the assurance of performance and interoperability of the different G.HNA technology vendors, saving money and time,” TELUS Senior Design Specialist, HomeGrid Forum Board Director and Chair of the GiGAWire Task Force Paul Arola added. “Service providers and building owners can now accelerate their network upgrades with the certified equipment, extending multi-gigabit speeds over existing wiring (coax or twisted pair) with G.hn technology. I am excited to start welcoming a long list of vendors and devices engaging with the certification.”
The certifications follow the first-of-its-kind G.hn Access Pre-Certification Plugfest which took place in late 2022 at University of New Hampshire Interoperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL) with participants both on-site and remotely connected to the test beds from around the world.
The system vendors came together to pre-test and solve service delivery challenges and since then have continued their intensive testing efforts with a number of service providers and building owners, validating their interoperability in real deployments. The G.hn Access systems listed below successfully passed both parts of this complex certification process, and have now been awarded the first official certification logo on behalf of both organizations.
G.hn Access Certified Devices:
– Positron G1001-C (G.hn to Ethernet Bridge over Coax – G.hn Wave-2 endpoint that connects to a Residential Gateway).
– ReadyLinks IPC-2TCP-RPF (G.hn Wave-2 endpoint switch with combo coax/phoneline to Ethernet).
GHNA Certification, which is available through either the Broadband Forum or the HomeGrid Forum, is comprised of two parts. Part A sees compliance and interoperability testing (“GiGAWire™ testing”) specified by the HomeGrid Forum, and Part B sees performance testing (“BBF.GHNA testing”) specified by the Broadband Forum and its ongoing work in TR-476 (G.hn Access Performance Test Plan). G.hn Access deployments operate in Point-to-Point (P2P) over any media. When used over coaxial cabling, it also supports Point-to-Multipoint (P2MP) topologies.
Additional quotes (from Positron Access, ReadyLinks, Broadband Forum, and HomeGrid Forum)
“Positron Access is proud to be one of the first certified vendors. G.hn technology is a fundamental element of our Gigabit over Any Media (GAM) solution deployed in legacy hotels and Multi-Dwelling Units (MDUs),” said Positron Access President and CTO Pierre Trudeau. “This is the perfect xPON extension technology for operators faced with the challenge of delivering Gigabit Ethernet services in these older properties. Achieving verified interoperability and performance is a great step forward.”
ReadyLinks VP of Technology Justin Synstelien said: “ReadyLinks is thrilled to have completed the GHNA Certification Program. G.hn technology is a great addition to our portfolio of cloud-managed Ethernet networking devices used in hotels and MDUs around the world. With the completion of interoperability and performance testing, operators can rest easy knowing they are delivering the highest quality and highest bandwidth Ethernet services over any wire with ReadyLinks’ G.hn solution.”
“When fiber cannot be laid or installed inside a MDU, or close to the customer premises, G.hn Access technology is an ideal solution for TR-419 Fiber to the extension point deployments by reusing the existing telephone or coaxial infrastructure and it offers a viable and cost-effective alternative for service providers,” said Broadband Forum CEO Craig Thomas. “We are very pleased to see the first system vendors certified as part of our joint certification program with HomeGrid Forum.”
“This is a landmark moment for our G.hn Access certification efforts so far. I am thrilled to congratulate Positron and ReadyLinks as pioneers and the first vendors certified for standards-compliant, interoperable and performant solutions, helping to accelerate operator deployments of multi-gigabit last-mile connectivity delivered over coax and phonelines,” said HomeGrid Forum President Livia Rosu, also leading the strategy alliances landscape at MaxLinear. “All those customers in MDUs, Single-Family Units, and other housing scenarios that warrant the use of fiber extension technology are set to immediately benefit.”
