Orange Belgium modernizes its 1 Gbps fixed internet access network to meet future connectivity demands with Distributed Access Architecture (DAA)

As laid out in its ‘Lead the Future’ corporate strategy, by 2040, Orange Belgium aims to cover its fixed network footprint in Wallonia and six municipalities in Brussels with two-thirds Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) and one-third Hybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC) technologies, paving the way for speeds of 5 Gbps and 10 Gbps.

Building on its current deployment of DOCSIS 3.1 technology to deliver 1 Gbps Orange Belgium is now upgrading its HFC network to Distributed Access Architecture (DAA). This transformation, which spans at least 34% of its Wallonia and Brussels footprint, is powered by partnerships with Teleste, Commscope, and Nokia:

DAA represents a significant evolution in Hybrid Fiber networks by decentralizing and virtualizing headend and network functions. Leveraging the ubiquity of optical ethernet transport, it establishes the foundation for 10 Gbps technologies. The upgrade brings several key benefits:

Philippe Toussaint, Chief Technology Officer at Orange Belgium: “By embracing Distributed Access Architecture, Orange Belgium reinforces its position as a leader in broadband innovation while anticipating future customer needs. This upgrade not only enables us to pave the way for 10 Gbps broadband capacities but also ensures greater energy efficiency and resource optimization, in line with our commitment to sustainability. With these investments, we are laying the foundation for a more agile, reliable, and high-performing network that will meet the demands of tomorrow.”

Hanno Narjus, Senior Vice President at Teleste Networks: “We are excited to be part of this transformative project, delivering multigigabit internet with exceptional quality to Orange Belgium customers. This upgrade represents a strategic step in Orange Belgium's journey to offering 10 Gbps speeds using existing cable network infrastructure. Not only does this approach benefit the environment, but it also enables a fast network upgrade cycle. Our Teleste Remote PHY devices, built on open DOCSIS specifications, ensure full ecosystem interoperability, providing Orange Belgium with complete flexibility for their future network investment steps.”

Guy Sucharczuk, SVP & President Access Network Solutions, CommScope: “CommScope’s VUE video core and Video Topology Manager (VTM) platforms help simplify the transition to Distributed Access Architecture operation. After VUE and VTM is deployed, Orange Belgium will have a nimble, highly scalable video core and a centralized DAA management solution that will simplify video delivery and better manage the company’s Distributed Access Architecture topology, all with minimal service disruptions. Together, VUE and VTM will provide tremendous advantages for Orange Belgium as they deploy new Distributed Access Architecture technology in their current network.”

Matthieu Bourguignon, Senior Vice President and Head of Europe for Network Infrastructure business at Nokia added: “Orange Belgium is taking a bold step in addressing the rising demand for high-speed, energy-efficient connectivity by modernizing its fixed internet access network with a converged multiservice network designed to support broadband, mobile backhaul, and B2B services. Through the use of Nokia’s 7250 IXR interconnect routers, Orange will benefit not only from a scalable, high-capacity solution that supports the evolution to higher-speed broadband services but also aligns with its sustainability goals by significantly reducing power consumption and hub space requirements, ensuring quality, security, and adaptability to meet any service mix, anytime.”