Actelis' EFMplus technology is a powerful combination of several patented techniques, which enhance standard Ethernet in the First Mile (EFM) and turn ordinary copper pairs into fiber-quality high speed Ethernet links. EFMplus overcomes the problems of the traditional copper plant, such as the variable quality and reliability of individual copper pairs, as well as the effect of external interference from cross-talk, noise and other electrical and physical interruptions to the signal.
Actelis is the only company to ensure hitless performance that meets or exceeds the capabilities of fiber, including Bit Error Rates routinely measured at 10-12 as well as a system delays below 3 milliseconds. This performance has been repeatedly demonstrated under the most stringent testing conditions in the labs and outside plant of major carriers around the world.
The Market Challenge
Many challenges are involved in making copper pairs transmit like fiber, which is an extremely high-quality media. Fiber transmission has at least 10,000 times fewer errors than the best signal that copper can deliver with conventional transmission technologies.
The copper plant also exhibits a variety of behaviors, caused by its age and natural hazards like lightning and corrosion. This results in very different copper qualities: a variety of gauges, cross talk factors, environmental noises, bridged taps, bad splices, temperature sensitivity (in cases with aerial cables) and other "surprise" factors which impact the installation process and the regular course of operation which are not encountered with fiber.
An Economical Solution
When approaching the problem of enabling fiber quality transmission over copper, Actelis Networks acknowledges the fact that while fiber may be an ideal media for the backbone, it may not always be the most economical way to address many sectors of a communications network, where the expected revenues could not justify the up-front cost involved in fiber deployment. While less than 15% percent of businesses are connected to fiber today, 100% of them are connected to copper pairs. Fiber is also not commonly connected to homes, wireless base stations, and many remote terminals and street-side cabinets. However, 100% of these are also connected to copper.
The last mile "on ramp" to the carrier backbone is a cost-prohibitive area for fiber deployment, and therefore beyond the reach of high-quality broadband services today.
The Actelis EFMplus Approach
Actelis Networks has developed its platforms based on standards (IEEE 2Base-TL/EFM) and has powered them by its patented technology to address this complex problem:
- Assuming several pairs available for connection (actual numbers could vary with specific installations)
- Using industry standard G.Shdsl.bis spectral envelope on the lines, hence avoiding interference to other services
- Applying computational power as strong as a super computer for each connection
- Applying state-of-the-art algorithms, including innovative error correction coding, spread-spectrum-like scrambling methods, noise cancellation techniques, cable structure analysis, cable temperature analysis, automated deployment tools and installation problem resolution tools
High Performance / Low Error Rate
The resulting outcome is a fully symmetrical communication link with Bit Error Rate equivalent to that of the fiber standards. The link is immune to noises and interferers and it’s a low delay of below 3 ms make it suitable for any type of voice, data and video application.
Easy Installation
Additionally, ML platforms are simple to install. Issues like variable pair quality, bad splices, wrong connections, temperature effects on cables, cut lines, bridged taps - are all handled automatically.
Industry Best Reach and Rate
Lastly, the link performance in terms of reach and rate is better than any available copper technology on the market, making it a viable alternative to fiber.
G.bondplus
Actelis has adapted its advanced noise cancellation and coordinated transmission algorithms to support also other protocols than EFM. To carry TDM-based signals such as DS3/DS1 or E1, a TDM-based protocol such as ITU-T G.bond (G.998.3) is required, and Actelis has improved this standard with its algorithms to provide G.bondplus for its DS3/E1 systems.