LONDON — PMC-Sierra has started sampling an ATM-to-Ethernet interworking device for IP DSLAMs that it says will help accelerate the deployment of equipment capable of offering triple play services.
At least one company, ZTE Corporation, is already known to be designing the device, dubbed the PM7353 S/UNI Duplex GE, into a line card for a range of IP DSLAM platforms.
The device and related evaluation kit, including a control processor and PMC-Sierra's SwitchCore Ethernet switch, are scheduled for volume availability during the second quarter of the year.
The S/UNI Duplex GE implements ATM to Ethernet conversion in dedicated hardware, a function deployed to date in expensive network processors or FPGAs. The company says this 'significantly' reduces line card costs, a major portion of the IP DSLAM bill of materials.
The part also eliminates the need for proprietary software for network processors and reduces the overall development cost of the IP DSLAM.
Greg Aasen, vice president and general manager, Communication Products Division at PMC-Sierra, commented: "As the demand for interactive services such as Voice-over-IP and Video-on-Demand grows, the requirements for high bandwidth and symmetrical communications will continue to increase. The S/UNI Duplex GE provides DSLAM vendors with increased bandwidth in low-cost multi-service IP DSLAMs."
The device terminates ATM traffic from the customer premises equipment on line cards thus enabling usage of off-the-shelf Ethernet switches in DSLAMs. It can simultaneously aggregate up to 144 ADSL2+ modems for Gigabit Ethernet line rate throughput, advanced quality of service (QoS) and non-blocking multicast.
