Orcon tackles the challenge of multi-service access

Orcon of New Zealand deploys broadband services and VoIP in preparation for HD-quality triple-play and fibre access through state-of-the-art equipment, strong support and proven services.

In order to succeed and to become the ultimate provider in this market we've had to have the right partners. Nokia Siemens Networks has been one of our key partners in enabling us to compete with some of the much larger telcos in New Zealand."


Scott Bartlett, Chief Executive Officer, Orcon

Orcon is New Zealand’s fourth largest and fastest growing telecommunications provider, offering a full range of phone and Internet services for the home and business. They are the first carrier in the world to unbundle voice and data, offering both over the same IP access platform.
 

Scott Bartlett

Challenges 

  • Enable broadband services today and establish a basis for a move to triple-play and HDTV
  • Differentiate from larger telcos with a bold strategy
  • Provide new and legacy services over a single platform
  • Let end users switch from incumbent to Orcon while keeping existing equipment

The Nokia Siemens Networks hiX 5600 series DSLAM platforms and hiQ 8000 softswitches form the core of the company’s solution. This is underpinned with powerful turnkey rollout and logistics for maximum leverage of market opportunities.

From its inception in 1999, Orcon has established a reputation for providing outstanding customer service and utilizing groundbreaking technology to deliver a unique experience.

The company is widely recognized as having the best performing and fastest broadband network in New Zealand, currently serving around 100,000 businesses and residential customers.

Solution

  • Get state-of-the-art equipment, strong support and proven services from a sole source that engages closely with the customer
  • Take advantage of a partner’s global expertise in cost-effective enhanced broadband connectivity
  • Rollout infrastructure groundwork for future HD quality triple-play and GPON fiber access
  • Utilize leading-edge rollout and logistics capabilities to capture market

Orcon is a new entrant carrier competing with major incumbents in a country with very high mobile penetration but a declining number of PSTN subscribers. On the other hand, fixed broadband penetration has increased dramatically within the last decade.

The company knew that in order to prosper it would need to adopt a bold strategy of confronting incumbents in the market, particularly mobile operators expanding their business into the fixed broadband and voice market. In addition, Orcon also believed that the incumbent providers were vulnerable. Aging TDM platforms were facing high maintenance costs. Moreover, in 2007, New Zealand embraced the unbundling of the local loop, creating a more level playing field for new entrant operators.

Benefits

  • High bandwidth services delivered quickly and at competitive prices
  • Gained 100,000 business and residential customers within the first three years
  • Hassle-free turnkey deployment services
  • Both legacy and broadband customers serviced on cost-efficient network

Formulating the strategy
Orcon decided to tackle the incumbents directly by profiting from local loop unbundling and setting up a converged access network for broadband and fixed voice. At the same time, it would bundle through enhancing broadband connectivity with fixed voice and value-added broadband services. Coupling this with a more cost-efficient infrastructure would then allow them to challenge the incumbents’ market.

But where could Orcon find a technology partner who could not only offer state-of-the-art solutions, but a competitive entry price and low operational cost?

This is where Nokia Siemens Networks entered the picture.

Following up on the plan
Given the company’s market environment and the resulting strategy, Orcon quickly decided on the main requirements. These included:

  • Provision of one access network for POTS voice and broadband
  • A forward-looking network concept with SIP call control
  • A smooth migration path to IMS in the future
  • A full range of data services including ADSL2+ , VDSL2 and SHDSLbis
  • The support of all POTS legacy services required by customers

Based on these requirements, Nokia Siemens Networks offered a solution utilizing as its key infrastructure element the SURPASS hiX 5625/30/35 MSAN platform for access. This could be integrated with the company’s existing hiQ8000 softswitches acting as media gateway controllers, with the additional function of SIP call control. Use of the hiX 5625/30/35 multiservice access nodes (MSANs) meant that Orcon could continue to service legacy customers with analog phones, as the hiX converts voice into VoIP or SIP automatically.

A satisfied customer
Nokia Siemens Networks was awarded the contract, which included turnkey deployment and logistics support. Rollout has been trouble-free, bringing cost- efficient connectivity for up to 100,000 business and residential customers and a bandwidth of up to 50Mbps – giving high speed Internet, video on demand and the capacity formultiple HD TV channels.

On the technology, Thomas Salmen, Chief Technology Officer at Orcon, comments “The hiX platform is highly competitive. It’s easy to deploy and easy to manage, and the deployment model that we’ve engaged Nokia Siemens Networks to carry out on our behalf has worked extremely well. The hiQ80000 softswitch is a highly-scalable platform that offers a very competitive price point and Nokia Siemens Networks have demonstrated a robust roadmap for the platform.”

Scott Bartlett, Orcon’s Chief Executive Officer, concludes “The technology solutions that Nokia Siemens Networks provides to us are competitive and fast. They are outstanding at delivering service to our customers and have continued to serve us well. Orcon is a very small team. We have an organization of only 180 staff and so we rely on the expertise of people from Nokia Siemens Networks all around the globe. We get access to some of the world’s most talented engineers, commercial experts and technicians, and that’s given us the competitive edge.”