COM-IN Chooses DZS-KeyMile for All-Fiber Network

INGOLSTADT, Germany -- Communications company COM-IN, located in Ingolstadt, picked DZS-KEYMILE's innovative MileGate access platform to grow its extensive optical fiber infrastructure for residential and corporate customers. The expansion is to be completed by 2021. Ingolstadt will then be one of the few German towns with a purely FTTH network.

In 2009, COM-IN's shareholders decided to create an optical fiber network with comprehensive coverage in Ingolstadt within the next 10 to 12 years. Today, more than two-thirds of the buildings in Ingolstadt are connected and the aim is to achieve full coverage in the next three years. To expand the optical fiber network, the company uses DZS-KEYMILE's MileGate IP-MSAN (Multi-Service-Access Node) and has chosen active optical fiber technology to ensure all subscribers are connected via their own optical fiber. This flexible, powerful and scalable point-to-point (P2P) network structure ensures COM-IN and its customers are well-prepared to meet the challenges of the future.

The telecommunications provider divided the area it serves into 38 clusters with comparable populations. The provider gradually connected these clusters with optical fiber to the home (FTTH) over the past few years. Around 11,000 customers are currently connected to the router via optical fiber cable and therefore receive ultra-fast Internet access at a maximum of 500 Mbps download and 50 Mbps upload speed as well as a telephone and TV connections. COM-IN transmits the TV signal via its own optical fiber and operates redundantly designed TV headends.

COM-IN uses the MileGate 2510 access platform in its points-of-presence (POPs, telecommunications node). With 21 slots, up to 480 subscribers can be connected per optical fiber. The provider applies the smaller MileGate 2310 and MileGate 2200 subracks in areas where space is lacking, for example in feeder distribution interfaces and plant rooms. They offer the same multi-service flexibility and significant port density.

"DZS-KeyMile's portfolio of solutions, which allow us to meet our requirements adequately at very competitive prices, swung the decision in the company's favor. DZS-KeyMile systems have been extremely stable and reliable for many years and require hardly any maintenance or repair," says Stefan Ferstl, IT director at COM-IN. "We feel we're being well looked after by a supplier who offers service and support in German and who can react quickly and flexibly if needed."

KeyMile, also based in Germany, develops multiple telecommunication products for broadband access. Its portfolio incorporates access solutions across network architectures including optical fiber for active and passive optical networks and on copper via VDSL, vectoring and Gfast. It also integrates software-defined networking (SDN) technologies within access networks. Network access vendor DASAN Zhone Solutions (DZS) acquired KeyMile in early 2019.

In 1998, the Stadtwerke Ingolstadt utility decided to enter the telecommunications market. Together with three other Ingolstadt-based companies, COM-IN Telekommunikations GmbH (comingolstadt) was founded in August 1998 with Stadtwerke Ingolstadt in possession of a majority shareholding. The goal was to develop and expand a modern communications network based on optical fiber. The market quickly accepted comingolstadt as a professional and capable partner. Domestic and international carriers were attracted as customers and cooperation partners. AUDI AG is one of its most important business partners. As a certified partner company network provider for suppliers of the Volkswagen Group, comingolstadt offers services to the entire automotive division. In 2009, shareholders resolved to develop an optical fiber network with comprehensive coverage in Ingolstadt within the next 10 years. More than half of all buildings have now been connected.

COM-IN