FlexLight Networks, a start-up based in Atlanta, Georgia and Kfar Saba, Israel, secured $17 million in third round funding for its development of a Gigabit Passive Optical Networking (GPON) solution for the last mile. FlexLight’s Optimate suite of GPON products is currently in trials and deployment with large service provider customers around the world. The products, which are based on the new ITU-T GPON standards known as G.984.x, deliver Ethernet and TDM access solutions for Fiber To The Building (FTTB) networks. The new funding round included outside investment from St. Paul Venture Capital, Accel Partners and Applied Materials Ventures, in addition to continued investment support from existing investors, Concord Ventures and Coral Ventures.
http://www.flexlight-networks.com
- In February 2003, FlexLight Networks introduced its GPON solution compliant with the ITU’s recently approved standards for GPON (Recommendations G.984.1 and G.984.2). The FlexLight Optimate product accepts and carries Fast Ethernet (10/100 Mbps) and T1/E1 circuits from each customer location over the FlexLight PON access network in their native format. It also supports VLAN switching.
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In January 2003, the ITU announced an agreement on two new standards for Gigabit-capable Passive Optical Networks (G-PONs). Both standards cover symmetrical and asymmetrical (upstream/downstream) systems. ITU Recommendation G.984.1 describes the general characteristics of a gigabit-capable PON system such as architecture, bit rates, reach, signal transfer delay, split ratio protection and security. ITU Recommendation G.984.2 describes a flexible optical fiber access network capable of supporting the bandwidth requirements of business and residential services. It covers systems with nominal line rates of 1.25 Gbps and 2.5 Gbps in the downstream (Central Office to customer) direction and 155 Mbps, 622 Mbps, 1.5 Gbps and 2.5 Gbps in the upstream (customer to Central Office) direction. This represents approximately twice the capability of the previous release of the standards (G.983.4 and G.983.5).
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FlexLight is headed by Gary Lee, who was the President and COO of Home Wireless Networks, a startup based in Atlanta and Cambridge, UK. The company was founded by Oren Marmur, who previously was group manager for system engineering of optical and advanced networks at ECI Telecom.