Zhone's New MXK Terabit-Scale MSAP Selected as Premier FTTx GPON Platform by Orascom Development

Zhone provides El Gouna with a single source for a tightly integrated FTTx GPON system with RF video overlay, including Zhone's powerful MXK(TM) intelligent terabit access concentrator, zNID(TM) Optical Network Terminals (ONTs), RF equipment and the Zhone Management Systems (ZMS). Zhone's recently announced MXK platform will serve as the cornerstone of El Gouna's new FTTx network, delivering premium triple play services to a multicultural community of 15,000 residents. The MXK provides a 2x bandwidth improvement over the closest competing platform and is designed expressly for multi-stream HD and immersion game media that requires massive amounts of dedicated bandwidth. El Gouna's entire FTTx GPON network will be integrated via Zhone's powerful SLMS access operating system software, giving OD a rich complement of advanced networking and security features, with a high degree of flexibility in adding future services.

"We underwent an extensive survey of the leading FTTx GPON vendors, evaluating the capacity, robust design, and interoperability, and it was readily apparent that Zhone's system is best in Class," said Eng Samih Sawiris, OD CEO and Chairman. "Zhone's offerings are very much compatible with El Gouna's standards. With it, we can source an elegant, integrated approach to provisioning data, voice and entertainment services with a great deal of efficiency, flexibility, and capacity to grow."

Designed for easy multi-vendor interoperability, Zhone's FTTx GPON system featuring the MXK is the only solution to offer Smart OMCI(TM), Zhone's standards-based FTTx GPON management interface, providing network managers proven multi-vendor interoperability, and greater ease of operations in FTTx GPON system.

In addition to its first-class amenities and services, OD cares to provide El Gouna's growing community with FTTH GPON based telephone extensions with AVAYA SIP functionality, high-speed data and video over a single fiber to each MDU/villa. This network design was achieved using Zhone's carrier-class MXK uplink and link redundancy LACP into its HP 10 GigE core switch. The MXK provides a range of redundant uplink options for optimum network design.

"As community creators, we are committed to provide the residents with the best that the world has to offer," said Mr. Hamza Selim, Senior Vice President & Managing Director of El Gouna, Red Sea. Zhone's elegant approach to FTTx services coupled with the experience of El Gouna's network engineers resulted in an extremely smooth development cycle in record time.

"With the MXK, Orascom Development is a pioneer and early adopter of leading edge access technologies in Egypt," said Steven Glapa, Zhone's VP of product management and marketing. "El Gouna has an elite team of network engineers with extensive experience in multi-service provisioning over fiber-based technologies. Their selection of Zhone's FTTx GPON system with the MXK is a valuable testament to the quality of our platform and our philosophy of highly integrated, highly interoperable FTTx access services."

About Orascom Development

With over 20 years experience, OD is a leading global developer of fully-integrated towns, offering hotels, private villas and apartments, leisure facilities such as golf courses and marinas along with all related facilities and supporting infrastructure. The Swiss-based company, owned by Samih Sawiris, has a strong foothold in Egypt and the Middle East and has current projects under development in Egypt, Morocco, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, Jordan, Mauritius and UK. OD owns and operates two fully-fledged towns, El Gouna and Taba Heights, in Egypt, offering 21 hotels with more than 5,000 rooms.

El Gouna, Red Sea -- Life as it should be

Starting out as a simple real estate project almost 20 years ago, El Gouna is now OD's flagship resort. El Gouna is built on 10km of secluded coastline, has 15,000 residents spread across islands and lagoons and is the only mature fully-fledged town on the Red Sea Riviera. The year-round sunshine destination boasts world-class amenities including 14 hotels, 100 bars and restaurants, two marinas, an 18-hole golf course and a variety of retail spa and fitness facilities. El Gouna also houses award winning architecture and the first hotels in Egypt to be awarded the Green Star Hotel Certification.

About Zhone Technologies - Access for a Converging World

Zhone Technologies, Inc (NASDAQ: ZHNE | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) is a global leader in multi-service access solutions, serving more than 700 of the world's most innovative network operators. The company offers the industry's only fully-integrated portfolio of MSAP, FTTx, EFM and Wi-Fi access technologies, improving network agility and reducing the costs of delivering the full spectrum of access services, including residential and business broadband, VoIP, and High-Definition IPTV - over copper, fiber, and wireless. Zhone is headquartered in California, and its MSAP products are all manufactured in USA, in a facility that is emission, waste-water, and CFC free.

Zhone, the Zhone logo, and all Zhone product names are trademarks of Zhone Technologies, Inc. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective holders.

SOURCE: Zhone Technologies, Inc

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