TE Connectivity, Zhone partner to co-market passive optical LAN systems

TE Connectivity (NYSE: TEL) and Zhone Technologies (NASDAQ: ZHNE) have announced new a partnership to co-market passive optical LAN (POL) technology to customers in a variety of industry sectors including government, healthcare, hospitality, education and finance.

According to a jointly issued press release from the companies, growing demand for POL technology using Zhone Technologies' FiberLAN and TE Connectivity's Optical LAN Solution (OLS) position the companies to partner on marketing programs aimed at promoting the adoption of POL across multiple industries, and raising the awareness about the benefits of the technology.

"Robust, centralized security makes passive optical LAN solutions highly attractive for the government and finance sectors," contends James Norrod, president and CEO of Zhone Technologies. "By joining forces with TE Connectivity, the industry-specific applications and benefits of our respective technologies - and how they work together - can be more quickly and fully appreciated."

The companies assert that the all-fiber networks created by Zhone Technologies' FiberLAN and TE Connectivity's OLS reduce infrastructure costs versus copper cabling, and operate within a small footprint, while also increasing energy efficiency and security of the network. Moreover, they note that these networks support the delivery of video, voice and Internet services, streamlining and accelerating deployments and reducing hardware costs for customers.

"This partnership complements and augments ongoing activities by both leaders in this field," comments Jaxon Lang, general manager and vice president of TE Connectivity's Broadband Network Solutions. "While early adopters have fully embraced POL, there is still much more work ahead in educating enterprises large and small on the value of all-fiber networks for the office, building or campus."

As noted in the press release, for SouthEast Bank's 32,000 square feet retail branch and office in Knoxville, Tenn., Zhone Technologies and TE Connectivity's collaboration led to implementation a faster, more powerful network while reducing physical space and heat dissipation. The fiber cabling infrastructure weighed only 40 pounds, compared to an estimated 2,400 pounds for an equivalent network using traditional copper LAN.

In another collaborative effort, the FiberLAN and OLS solutions were deployed to support a micro-community broadband model forPark Square at Seven Oaks, a 224 unit upscale residential community sprawling 14 acres in Bakersfield, Calif. Under this model, residents pay a flat monthly fee of $25, without the hassles of signing up for service, waiting for an installer or committing to long-term contracts.

"TE Connectivity and Zhone Technologies are both founding members of the Association for Passive Optical LAN (APOLAN)," concludes Brian O'Connell of TE Connectivity, director and chairman-elect of APOLAN. "I applaud this [partnership] initiative for raising awareness and driving market adoption with an industry approach."