ZTE Helps ETB Launch FTTH Broadband Network in Colombia

SHENZHEN, CHINA – ZTE Corporation, a global provider of telecommunications equipment, network solutions and mobile devices, has helped Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Bogotá S.A. (ETB) launch the first phase of a FTTH broadband network in Bogotá, Colombia giving households and businesses in the capital city up to a 100-fold increase in connection speeds. ETB is the leading communication service provider in the city of Bogotá, and selected ZTE’s xPON solutions after evaluation based on technology, commercial and experience criteria.

The first phase of the commercial roll-out in December covered corporate customers in Bogotá, ensuring ETB fulfilled its target to launch the network by the end of 2013. The FTTH network, which uses ZTE’s gigabit GPON technology, will connect more than 600,000 customers, and cover 85 percent of households in the capital city when construction is fully completed in three years.

“With this technological advancement, we can offer new services and provide N-Play, supporting data, voice, video and cloud applications at fantastic speeds,” said Saúl Kattan Cohen, president of ETB. “ETB always puts the interests of our customers first, and having ZTE as our reliable supplier has helped us deliver in our commitment to users.”

The new FTTH network will give households and businesses in Bogotá an increase of between 10 to 100 times in network speeds. Previously, 2 Mbps connections were considered broadband in Colombia and the majority of Colombian broadband users connect at speeds between 2 Mbps to 4 Mbps, according to the most recent report issued by the Commission of Regulation of Telecommunications (CRT).

“ZTE is proud to be the strategic supplier of ETB in giving users in Bogotá access to the most advanced technology,” said Xiang Dongsheng, president of ZTE Colombia. “The new network is a milestone in technology innovation in Colombia, and will bring great benefit to the market by stimulating competition, delivering improved services for users, and opening doors to new and drive improvements in business productivity and education in the capital city.”