Positron Access develops a broad portfolio of telecommunication equipment for applications including Mobile Backhaul, Metro Ethernet networks, core transport networks, access and edge aggregation, wireless and triple-play backhaul. Positron offers Aktino carrier class bonded copper solutions that enable carriers to quickly and economically deploy Ethernet and DS3 services with fiber like bandwidth and reliability. Positron also produces carrier class metro optical transmission equipment for SONET/SDH and packet based networks. Collectively the optical and copper based products provide a complete portfolio to enable the migration of legacy networks to the next generation Ethernet based networks.
The Aktino carrier class bonded copper solutions provide high bandwidth over a carrier service area, providing a cost effective and extended Ethernet service footprint for the carriers. Aktino products deliver one to 800 Mbps Carrier Ethernet and DS3 TDM solutions, making them ideal for applications by providing Ethernet services for Business, as well as Mobile and DSLAM backhaul applications.
Positron’s converged access device portfolio includes the pseudowire based AEX-50/100 for the edge of access and metro networks. The portfolio provides end-users and carriers flexible choices for backhaul of today’s mix of voice and data services for wireless, business services and triple-play offerings.
With offices in Newport Beach, CA and Montreal, QC, Positron's global footprint extends from the United States and Canada through Europe, Latin America, Asia and the South Pacific.
Copper Bonding
Positron leverages a combination of both MIMO (Multi-Input-Multi-Output) techniques and Discrete Multi-tone (DMT) as the foundation for its copper bonding technology, which provides unparalleled performance as compared to legacy HDSL and E.SHDSL copper bonding technologies. By performing bonding at the physical layer, Positron’s Aktino technology overcomes the problems of existing bonding methods and enables the delivery of high quality, high bandwidth broadband services network-wide. This translates into increased rate, reach and reliability that enable providers to leverage their existing copper infrastructure to quickly provide profitable and lasting broadband services.
Fiber-Like Reliability
Multi-pair copper bonding products deliver significantly more bandwidth to customers (10 to 100 Mbps) versus legacy single pair technologies. Until these high performance multi-pair bonding solutions were introduced, higher bandwidth services were traditionally offered on fiber only.
A major challenge for copper bonding technologies and products is to deliver high reliability (similar to fiber) to ensure the same customer experience. This is a critical issue for some applications like mobile backhaul, VoIP and video. The Aktino product line offers a multi-pair copper bonding solution using MIMO-on-DMT technology to address high bandwidth demand and reliability.
Asymmetric Bandwdith
Understanding the true nature of bandwidth is as important as recognizing what services are driving the explosion in bandwidth demand. In the majority of applications such as Ethernet services, DSLAM/DLC backhaul and mobile backhaul, the nature of the bandwidth is asymmetric - more traffic moving downstream than upstream.
As providers realize that backhaul traffic can be asymmetric by as much as 10:1 (downstream: upstream) and as they watch cable MSOs make significant inroads into the SMB market, they are turning to bonded copper solutions. Positron’s Aktino bonded copper solution can provide up to 100 Mbps of carrier class bandwidth either symmetrically or asymmetrically (using 16 pairs). Performance data for eight pair systems are shown below and the Aktino asymmetric bandwidth performance advantage represents 2 times to 10 times bandwidth advantage over other bonded copper solutions like E.SHDSL and T1 IMA.
Symmetric VDSL2
The Aktino solution supports the qualities of DMT (Discrete Multi-Tone) technology - the basis for VDSL2 - as the best approach for delivering business access services. The adaptation of the technology was pioneered for symmetric services. The service providers’ active leadership in standards bodies has driven MIMO technology into the VDLS2 NIPP-NAI and ITU standard bodies. As a result, the International Telecommunication Union's standards group 15 (ITU-SG15) approved an amended standard for VDSL2 (ITU-G.993.2), which brought the Aktino technology approach to the forefront. The amendment enhances the functionality of VDSL2 by providing added flexibility to serve both business and residential applications on both short and long loops. This enhanced functionality is made possible by enabling newly-defined flexible band plans to be used that allow modems to be configured for either asymmetric or symmetric rate services.
VDSL2 is now positioned as the optimal means for converging business and residential access network equipment into unified platforms. In addition to supporting new residential services such as IPTV, VDSL2 can now support next-generation symmetric and asymmetric business access services such as Ethernet over copper, via one or multiple bonded copper pairs.
Enhanced Noise Immunity
Twisted pairs are susceptible to impulse noise and voltage spikes from lightning, electric motors, radio transmitters and more. These noises are typically large and short in duration. If the noise source is large enough, the noise will be seen as a micro-interruption on the transmission lines. For some systems, micro-interruptions result in a re-synchronization or full-retrain of the link. A retrain affects the service and may bring the service down for several seconds or in some cases minutes depending on the particular technology. The Aktino systems can “ride through” micro-interruptions, which is important for applications such as mobile backhaul, and resume data transmission without interrupting the service. The ability to ride through micro-interruptions and maintain service even in the presence of lightning is part of an array of features that provide unprecedented reliability and resiliency to copper plant.
The significant benefits of this functionality were demonstrated in a mobile backhaul trial with a major service provider conducted under the challenges of harsh weather conditions. In the trial, The Aktino Ethernet over Copper solution was able to exceed Fiber Service Level Agreements (SLAs). In evaluating the Aktino solution's performance during lightning storms, the provider reported that it addressed a key weakness of legacy T1 technology by demonstrating a significant decrease in unavailable seconds (UAS). As a result, providers now have a fast and cost-effective solution that not only meets their bandwidth and reach requirements, but also their reliability requirements.