Australia's NBN Co has contracted ARRIS Group to build out the hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) component of the National Broadband Network.
State-owned NBN Co will deploy ARRIS routers, forward path transmitters and optical receivers, and will tap ARRIS's Global Services division for deployment and network integration.
Announcing the $400 million deal, ARRIS said the upgrade will clear the way for NBN Co to migrate to DOCSIS 3.1 architecture in future if required.
The Australian government recently revised the NBN rollout model to involve using HFC and FTTN for the bulk of connections, and NBN Co laid out its new construction plan in December.
The previous government had originally planned to use FTTP for 93% of end-user connections, whereas the new model calls for approximately 30% of connections to be served by HFC.
In December, NBN Co signed a deal to take over former state-owned operator Telstra's HFC network as part of the new model.
“NBN Co is committed to ensuring that everyone in Australia will have access to high-speed broadband services. An HFC network represents the fastest and most cost-effective way to deliver it to consumers and businesses in the existing HFC network areas,” CTO Dennis Steiger said.
“Our goal is to achieve high-speed broadband as quickly possible, with an eye on future technologies that will secure our place as a global technology leader. Significant investments are being made in HFC broadband technology on a global scale, and we are committed to ensuring that Australia is at the forefront of this movement.”