Member Article

Evolving Networks deploys UK’s first bonded FTTP connection

London, UK – 04 September 2017 – Evolving Networks, network connectivity specialist, has announced the completion of an industry-first — the deployment and installation of a bonded FTTP (fibre to the premises) connection for existing customer Event Alchemy. The connection delivers download bandwidth of 450mbps, which is eight times the company’s current capacity.

Event Alchemy, a creative event and video production company, is based in Poole, Dorset, an area underserved by connectivity providers. The company had a requirement for high speed download and upload capabilities in order to stream HD video, which was partially served through a leased line as superfast connectivity via FTTC (fibre to the cabinet) and ADSL were not available. However, there was a requirement for higher upload and download speeds due to the nature of its business. When FTTP became available in the region Evolving Networks proposed a solution to meet Event Alchemy’s expanding requirements.

The result is a bonded FTTP solution delivered by Evolving Networks, and the first connection of its kind in the UK. The solution features two FTTP lines that are aggregated using the company’s proprietary network virtualisation software, Intelligent Network Fabric (INF), and is supported by its software-defined multi-VNO access network. The solution also includes Event Alchemy’s leased line, which will only be used until the contract with the carrier expires, to ensure the company maximises its return on investment and makes full use of the bandwidth available, not wasting it on failover lines.

“We work for Blue Chip clients in a data intensive industry, using high definition, often 4K, video files, plus rendered 3D graphics, etc. We needed a high bandwidth and resilient solution to our data demands and this Evolving Networks configuration has provided exactly that,” says Julian Ward, CEO of Event Alchemy.

“We are finding that our data is synced, both up and down, in a fraction of the time it was previously taking, making our workflow smoother and faster. We have tested the system and believe that it has the capacity to enable us to expand our capabilities and headcount as Event Alchemy continues to grow.”

By controlling every packet of data, business critical cloud apps are prioritised over bulk data transfers, ensuring a high quality of experience for users. As a result, Event Alchemy now uses VoIP to make phone bill savings and improve productivity with better call handling functionality. “We’ve been providing aggregated connectivity to the market for the past 10 years,” says Nick Johnson, CEO, Evolving Networks. “As a result, there isn’t a connectivity challenge we can’t solve. Whether it’s bonded ADSL, FTTC and now FTTP, our experience in the industry, coupled with our intelligent software that makes it all possible, means we’re able to deliver on our customers’ connectivity requirements in a cost-effective and streamlined way. “For this project, while FTTP did provide an increase in both upload and download capacity, a single connection was still not sufficient to meet the needs of the events company. For example, Event Alchemy would only have been getting an upload speed of 30mbps, which just isn’t good enough given the types of video and data they’re sending. As a result, a bonded FTTP connection was the best solution, providing that added capacity, as well as resilience. Bonded FTTP connections are the natural next step for businesses craving more bandwidth and the resilience that a paper SLA can’t deliver in practice.”

Other features of the INF running over multiple FTTP connections are TCP optimisation, compression and zero-touch QoS. Once the purview only of WAN optimisation appliances, Event Alchemy can now stream multiple HD and 4K video streams, seamlessly and uninterrupted — all without impacting general office user experience, or the need for expensive on-premises routers.

The FTTP solution was delivered in August 2017 and took just two months to deploy. Evolving Networks is building on this success and is currently provisioning a number of new bonded FTTP connections for other customers.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jonathan Kerr .