Fixed line operator Telecom Namibia has inked a deal with US-based network solutions firm Zhone Technologies to deploy advanced broadband and voice services in the country.

State-owned Telecom Namibia (TN), which says it has 145,000 customers, plans to use Zhone's ‘MXK’ offering to implement active fibre and copper access solutions to “renovate and update its telecommunications infrastructure.”

TN’s move to use Zhone comes as TN plans to introduce Fibre-To-The-Home (FTTH) and Fibre-To-The-Building/Basement (FTTB) technologies on its network in Namibia.

In a statement from Zhone, TN is to use Zhone with a plan of providing fibre and copper-based access solutions to 150,000 lines over the next three years.

In addition to introducing more fibre services, TN further plans to replace its existing voice and data systems with the help of Zhone's.

TN intends to migrate all its existing voice services into a nationwide IMS solution (IP Multimedia Subsystem). This in turn is planned to allow integration of mobile and fixed networks into the existing copper-based network.

The operator further intends consolidate its mobile backhaul solutions and time-division multiplexing (TDM) Leased Lines over an MXK Access System, in a bid to deliver a more advanced broadband performance.

"Zhone's solutions will allow Telecom Namibia to provide its customers with state-of-the-art broadband connection, at a cost-effective price," said said Frans Ndoroma, managing director of Telecom Namibia.

Brian Caskey, chief marketing officer at Zhone Technologies, said in a statement, "Because Telecom Namibia, the biggest operator in Namibia, is a customer-driven company, it is important to provide bandwidth and multi-service solutions that meet customer demands."