A video-ready access device (VRAD) provides digital subscriber line access and high-definition television programming to customers subscribed to IPTV services such as AT&T's U-verse, Bell Canada's Bell Fibe TV, Claro Puerto Rico's Claro TV, and Telus's Optik TV. VRAD equipment manufactured by Alcatel-Lucent can be configured to support between 48 and 864 lines per box.
[ The VRAD boxes are composed of circuit boards providing service, fed by fiber-optic communications, fiber-optic cable.
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AT&T VRADs
There are 2 types of VRAD systems currently used by AT&T: Fiber to the x, FTTN (fiber to the node), and FTTP (fiber to the premises).
FTTN, widely used where copper facilities exist in established neighborhoods, uses an Alcatel-Lucent 7330 Intelligent Services Access Manager (ISAM) shelf,[Post Alexander, Atlanta, Ga.]
p. 24. which uses the existing copper wiring to customers' homes, leading to distance limitations from the VRAD cabinet to the customer's home. The 7330 ISAM is an IP-DSLAM, internet protocol DSL access multiplexer that supports VDSL and ADSL protocols.[Alcatel-Lucent 7330 ISAM FTTN ANSI]
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The FTTP system uses an Alcatel-Lucent 7340 ISAM shelf, which is mostly used in areas such as new neighborhoods or large-scale developments where fiber can be run to the household, removing the distance limitations of copper. The 7340 then connects to a Primary Flexibility Point, which distributes service to homes in the neighborhood, via a dual strand fiber, which is then split into 32 customer fiber pairs. In FTTP systems, the fiber pairs are typically led into a customer's residence at the network interface device. In FTTD (fiber to the desk) systems, the fiber can continue to an equipment room or garage, then to a decoder box or residential gateway, then to the customer's TV, computer, and phone lines.
The VRAD typically connects upstream to an Alcatel-Lucent 7450 Ethernet service switch in the Telephone exchange, central office hub, then to the cable television headend, headend video hub office.[
VRADs required for U-verse are around wide, tall, and deep. Size and graffiti risk have drawn complaints from homeowners. AT&T has sued competitor Comcast for Chicago ads against AT&T's "large and unsightly" VRADs. Four VRADs have exploded due to faulty lithium-ion batteries manufactured by Avestor (now bankrupt), at least one explosion sending parts "fifty feet throughout the neighborhood." AT&T replaced all 17,000 Avestor batteries used in its VRADs with safer Alcatel-Lucent-designed Saft Groupe S.A., SAFT NiCad batteries, which have a 10-year life.
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Other VRADs
Bell Canada's Bell Fibe TV and Telus's Optik TV also use VRADs in their networks. Bell Canada uses the Alcatel-Lucent 7330 and Ikanos Communications IKNS ISAMs, and provides Internet service via either FTTN to 50 Mbit/s, or FTTH (fibre to the home) to 1.5 Gbit/s.Bell Internet Packages
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Claro Puerto Rico is currently deploying VRADs to offer their IPTV and VDSL Internet service up to 50Mbit/s. There are 2 types of VRAD systems currently used by Claro: Fiber to the x, FTTN (fiber to the node), and FTTP (fiber to the premises). It is unknown the equipment they are using.
See also
* Multi-service access node
References
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Telephony