Forthnet Launches Athens' First FTTH Pilot Network

LONDON - Forthnet, a Greek broadband provider, is implementing the first FTTH pilot network in the metropolitan area of Athens, Greece. The network is enabled by a GPON platform from ADTRAN, a provider of next-generation networking solutions.

This platform will enable delivery of high-bandwidth, triple-play services to residential and business subscribers. With over 2,000 homes initially served in the municipality of Nea, Forthnet will be able to deliver FTTH-based services that place Athens alongside other high-service density European FTTH deployments.

The ADTRAN GPON solution also allows a simplified migration of Forthnet’s customer base from its existing DSL network to the new FTTH services, while enabling capacity and bandwidth scale for future demands of new media-rich services.

“We believe our future strategy for the transition to next generation networks should be based on FTTH architecture,” explains Mr. Giannis Kavaklis, chief commercial director at Forthnet. “By taking this approach, we are not only enabling the metropolitan area of Athens to make the necessary technology leap, but are also giving local residents and businesses the opportunity to use new bandwidth-hungry applications without fear of reduced performance or latency. ADTRAN’s FTTH solution not only gives us the bandwidth required today, but also provides a simple migration path forward that helps us to stay competitive in our market in the long term.”