The CompetitionCompany profile
Company Overview
Founded in 1999, Simpler Networks is backed by private investors, ADC Telecommunications, Innovatech du Grand Montreal and the Solidarity QFL Fund. Simpler Networks is led by seasoned management and technology teams, consisting of individuals from the telecommunications, cabling and networking industries.
Industry Objective
Simpler Networks, developer and manufacturer of Automated Distribution Frames (ADFs), is a leading enabler of reliable, flexible and cost-effective physical layer provisioning solutions for all telecommunications service offerings running on the last mile of the copper loop. Simpler Networks mission is to simplify the management of the last mile of the telecommunications network including both ILEC local loops and in-building cable plants.
Simpler Networks loop management ADFs can be tailored to address the demand of a wide range of environments including; remote unmanned central offices, remote terminals and SAC boxes. The company's solutions allows for automated flow-through provisioning for voice and broadband services, as well as unbundled loop management and testing.
The catalyst of Simpler Networks solutions is a unique and patented micro-relay technology that is 90% smaller than conventional relays allowing for the highest possible densities, space efficiencies and cost effective solutions.
Market Focus and Product Offering
With the dramatic increase in the level of activity centered on the use, maintenance, and management of the copper loop and the services running over it, the traditional processes which depend on manual labor, truck rolls and manual record keeping are too slow and too expensive to be viable in today's competitive marketplace. Service providers today face critical business and operational challenges in scaling, turning up, managing and maintaining telecommunications services such as voice and data.
What's missing in the management of copper loops are Intelligent Network Elements (INEs), which give service providers the ability to exert a maximum level of control over the loop management tasks normally performed manually. This in turn enables accelerated deployment, guaranteed service levels and cost-effectiveness in provisioning and maintenance in an infrastructure never designed to support emerging protocols and applications.
Simpler SmartLoop™ 1600
Simpler Networks' SmartLoop™ 1600, is an Automated Distribution Frame (ADF) that enables service providers to take total control of their copper local loop infrastructure. Currently, network management systems extend control only to the furthest network elements, typically the access equipment at the edge of the network. The SmartLoop™ 1600 extends that control to include the physical layer of the local loop. In other words, it provides flow-through provisioning and remote testing capabilities on the feeder, and distribution that make up the "Last Mile" of the telecommunications network.
The SmartLoop™ 1600 is an innovative matrix switch platform that is installed at cross-connection points in the loop such as MDFs and IDFs, each SmartLoop™ 1600 chassis can manage up to 1,600 circuits and several SmartLoop's can be stacked to manage entire sections of MDFs, and/or completely automate remote unmanned central offices. Because of its unique patented micro-relay technology, the SmartLoop™ offers higher densities and better cost-efficiencies than any other ADF product and incorporates superior cable management capabilities. Designed to allow universal access to any service, the SmartLoop™ 1600 is completely protocol-transparent and compatible with any existing or future access technology that delivers services over the local copper loop.
Simpler Switchman™ 200
Simpler Networks has developed a new technology that dramatically reduces the cost for deploying a DSL solution in hotels: a Dynamic Port Distributor called Switchman™ 200. This technology allows all rooms to have access to the network, while allowing a significant reduction in the number of DSLAM ports required in the basement. This results in a considerable reduction in the cost of network deployment in each building; while simultaneously delivering a smaller footprint and lower maintenance costs. Until now, each high-speed enabled room required a modem and a corresponding DSLAM port installed in the telecom room in the basement. So, if a hotel had 200 rooms, each room would be equipped with a modem, and 200 corresponding DSLAM ports would be installed in the telecom room.
Inserting a Dynamic Port Distributor such as Simpler Switchman 200 solution into the telecommunications loop creates a funnel effect, enabling 200 rooms to share a pool of 1 to 50 DSLAM ports. In other words, Simpler Networks product's key value resides in the fact that it allows hotels to deploy high-speed Internet access in every room while dramatically minimizing the cost of deploying DSLAM ports for every room. This is done by allowing on-demand switching of a particular room link to a DSLAM port based on service subscription by the guests.
Electromechanical Relay
Simpler Networks has responded to the need for Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs) to respect their stringent cost and space requirements in their Central Offices by developing the worlds’ smallest electromechanical relay (EMR) that integrates proprietary technology and manufacturing processes.
In order to achieve this unprecedented level of miniaturization, Simpler Networks’ Engineering Team replaced the coil which represents a large portion of the space and cost in a conventional relay with a shape memory alloy wire (SMAW). The result is a small footprint of 4 W x 6 D x 4 H mm requiring 80 percent less space than a conventional relay making its design ideal for a high-density application at dramatically lower costs.
MEMS based electromechanical relay
At the heart of Simpler Networks’ product line is the company’s MEMS based EMR. The innovative design (patent pending) combined with a simple manufacturing process are key to providing a cost efficient, state of the art relay while enabling telecom and most low signal applications.
Distribution
Simpler Networks products are sold direct and through various integrators.
Management Team
Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Simpler Networks staffs 20 employees and is led by a seasoned management and technology teams consisting of individuals from the telecommunications, cable and networking industries.
Simpler Networks executive management team includes:
· Mike Perreault - President
· Stéphane Ménard - Executive vice-president, Product Development
· Lynn Brown - Director, Finance
Contact Information
For additional information about Simpler Networks, please contact Natalie Vinette - Specialist MAR/COM at 514-747-4646 #309