Comcast selects Cisco, Nortel for backbone

Comcast has selected routers from Cisco and optical transport gear from Nortel for a nationwide backbone buildout.

Comcast has selected Cisco’s highest-end router, the CRS-1, for its integrated national delivery platform for broadband, communications, video entertainment and future cross-platform services. Nortel will be supplying a DWDM system that includes its Common Photonic Layer and Optical Multiservice Edge 6500 platforms. 

“We are building a nationwide service delivery infrastructure to provide our customers the latest next-generation communication, video, and entertainment services,” said David Fellows, executive vice president and chief technology officer of Comcast Cable, in a statement.

Comcast currently provides cable and broadband services to more than 21 million customers in 35 states and the District of Columbia. Comcast’s customer base includes more than 9.4 million digital video customers, more than 8.1 million high-speed data customers and more than 1.2 million cable phone customers.

Terms of each award were not disclosed. Each vendor will also work on making their respective IP and optical systems interoperable within the Comcast network.