The Broadband Forum launched an international G.fast Council to speed development and uptake of the new “ultra fast” broadband network technology standard and also announced an initial six products have successfully completed the G.fast certification program.
ARRIS, Calix, Huawei, Metanoia, Nokia and Technicolor worked with the Broadband Forum and University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL) to become the first to earn G.fast product certifications. They mark a milestone in the industry association’s efforts to coordinate and speed development and commercial use of G.fast network technology.
G.fast leverages existing copper, fiber coax and hybrid modes of delivering broadband services. Telco and broadband industry participants across the value chain are looking to G.fast as a means of delivering higher speed, higher performance network products and services at less cost.
The Broadband Forum and the UNH-IOL run the G.fast certification program. The program partners organized and successfully saw the first G.fast equipment plugfest through to completion last June.
Fourteen G.fast chipset and equipment manufacturers participated in the event, which took place in early June at the authorized G.fast testing/certification facilities at the UNH.
“Interoperable standardized G.fast technology is key because it underpins an ability to deliver next-generation ultrafast broadband at scale,” said Kevin Foster, general manager, Architecture and Innovation for BT. “Certification to the Broadband Forum’s G.fast requirements provides a known level of confidence and will reduce test time for both network operators and their communication provider customers.”
G.fast Council
The new G.fast Council broadens Broadband Forum and UNH-IOL’s efforts by extending membership to service providers, equipment makers, chip manufacturers and software companies globally. Promoting the G.fast Certification program is one aspect of the council’s strategic agenda.
“Consumers want ultrafast broadband speeds and they want them immediately. In many cases, G.fast offers service providers the best chance to meet this requirement,” said Broadband Forum CEO Robin Mersh. “The Council will be the center of expertise in G.fast and as such will work to show how G.fast fits into the bigger gigabit broadband picture covered by the Forum’s work.”
Added G.fast Council Chair Michael Weissman: “G.fast has become an essential tool for service providers. The G.fast Council combines the collective intelligence of 150 members of the Broadband Forum to make the rollout of G.fast deployments faster and more successful.”
