Oslo, Norway – May 29, 2024 – Smartoptics, a leading provider of optical networking solutions, today announced that Panhandle Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (PTCI) based in Oklahoma, US, has chosen Smartoptics for a new ROADM-based network. The SoSmart software suite is used for planning and easily managing the ROADMs. Interoperability and a lack of license fees ensure an open and cost-efficient solution.
PTCI serves rural areas of the Oklahoma Panhandle and Texas, providing cellular, internet and phone service to both residential and business customers. The new Smartoptics solution is designed to meet requests from neighboring communities to pass through PTCI’s network. Smartoptics DCP-R ROADMs along with the Smartoptics SoSmart Software Suite provide the flexibility and ease of use needed to manage this effectively.
“We carefully considered multiple vendors to find the best solution. After seeing what SoSmart could do for us in terms of managing the solution, the decision was much easier,” says Randy Yell, Broadband Network & Data Services Manager, PTCI.
“The software suite overall, but especially SoSmart Planner, was the easiest thing we have seen and solid as could be. I can quickly onboard people who are not familiar with the software at all. They can use the planner to build out what they want in the network, execute with very little steps involved and save time with automatic provisioning. This is important for rural operators like us, with long distances to cover. Based on price, functionality and ease of use, I don’t know a better vendor than Smartoptics,” says Randy.
PTCI’s 10-node ROADM network connects sites in northern Texas with the Oklahoma Panhandle. The DCP-1203 transponder and DCP-110 muxponder are also used to load 100G and 10G traffic onto the network. The openness and proven interoperability of the Smartoptics solution makes it easier for PTCI to connect with the networks of the neighboring communities.
