Huawei launches AirPON for agile FMC access

Shenzhen, China -- Together with HKT Hong Kong and Globe Philippines, Huawei held an online commercial release conference to launch the AirPON solution and share its innovative applications. This solution reuses existing wireless sites to build full-fibre access networks for mobile operators quickly and at a low cost.

As mobile operators transform from mobile to full-service operations, they face huge challenges in FTTH network construction. Traditionally, operators had to deploy centralized OLTs in central office equipment rooms and lay out massive optical cables to reach users. This required large-scale initial investment and the resolution of complex problems such as ROW acquisition. As a result, network construction has always been time-consuming, expensive, while services have been slow to provision.

Huawei AirPON solution specifically addresses these challenges. "The AirPON solution shortens the optical cables between OLTs and users from over 3km to below 300m, greatly improves the efficiency of optical cable deployment, and reduces the ROI period to less than 3 years. With it, operators can reap benefits faster when building full-fibre access networks," said Gary Lu, President of Huawei Network Marketing & Solution Sales Department.

"HKT would like to replicate the solution to village area or low rise building in urban area to extend our Ultra Broadband coverage. AirPON allows installation of PON equipment on roof top which can be suitable for PON deployment in low rise old buildings in HK," said Peter Lam, Managing Director of HKT Engineering Dept Hong Kong.

" Huawei's AirPON solution helps us to efficiently roll out FTTH networks with simple ROW permitting and site acquisition and enables us to quickly provision fibre broadband services," said Joel Agustin, Vice President of Globe Philippines.

Following Huawei's first release of the AirPON solution in London in February 2020, 45 operators around the world adopted it in network construction. This solution consists of Huawei's OptiXaccess series Blade OLTs, Digital Quick ODN (DQ ODN), and OptiXstar series eAI ONTs. It reuses existing mobile sites to build full-fibre access networks and has the following benefits:

0 site acquisition: Outdoor blade OLTs can be installed on existing mobile pole or tower sites to share the wireless backhaul network for upstream transmission. Sites can be selected quickly and accurately, speeding up projects by three months.

0 fibre splicing: The DQ ODN network features digital management, pre-connection technology, and parallel construction without fibre splicing. Regular technicians can quickly master full-fibre access network installation and maintenance. Network construction is 70% more efficient and ODN sunk cost is 20% lower.

0 frame freezing: The eAI ONT intelligently identifies service types and uses Wi-Fi 6 slicing technology to provide dedicated channels for VIP services, such as online education and gaming. Operators can now monetize on user experience, earning an extra ARPU of US$10.

Fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) is the common trend, and fixed networks are the cornerstone of full-service operations. In the meanwhile, full-fibre access network construction is ramping up around the world. As such, Huawei will continue to innovate in full-fibre access technologies and deliver sustainable and evolvable solutions to help operators achieve business successes.