Kranj, Slovenia, 3 December 2020 - Europe’s fastest optical broadband network gained its first residential user today, thanks to the work of Iskratel, the leading European provider of sustainable broadband-access solutions.

Silvo Črnko, from Jareninski Vrh, Slovenia, has been connected to the 10-gigabit XGS-PON network. Mr Črnko was extremely pleased to have a significantly improved Internet connection and said: "We operate in the wine production industry, with customers in Slovenia and abroad. In the past, our Internet connection was slow and unreliable, and communication with customers was very limited. With the implementation of the new optical broadband network, we will now have access to greater levels of productivity and be able to communicate with customers seamlessly and effortlessly, without any problems."

The connection was made as part of the RUNE (Rural Network) project. Iskratel provided all active and passive telecommunications equipment which will bring XGS-PON optical connectivity to users in eight surrounding municipalities. The work in small towns and villages in the municipality of Pesnica, began in March this year, and the first of 41 nodes to ensure optical connectivity has been successfully activated.

RUNE Enia is building an optical infrastructure in rural areas in Slovenia as part of the RUNE project, and therefore steadily improving the connectivity situation in the Slovenian countryside, in many areas with limited Internet access, or none at all. As part of the three-year project, many households in rural areas in as many as 165 Slovenian municipalities will be able to access the Internet at data rates of up to 10-gigabit per second. RUNE Enia connected the first user to the RUNE broadband network in the municipality of Ajdovščina at the end of last year, using GPON technology.

Goran Živec, Director of RUNE Enia, d. o. o. and the Project Manager of RUNE in Slovenia, said: "The first widespread use of 10-gigabit symmetric access technology for residential users in the world is undoubtedly a very important step for RUNE, for Slovenia, for its countryside and last but not least, for the end-users who should reap the benefits of this vastly improved connectivity.”

At present, optical infrastructure is being implemented in numerous other municipalities across Slovenia and end-users will be able to choose the service provider they deem most favourable in terms of price and quality of service. Specifically, Iskratel's SI3000 Lumia XGS-PON OLTs and Innbox X22 ONTs will bring ultra-fast broadband connectivity to the residents across Slovenia.

"At Iskratel, we are extremely delighted and proud to participate in the RUNE project and provide people with access to super-fast Internet and the services it provides," said Svjetlana Kalaba, Director of Business Unit Broadband at Iskratel. "Not only do we bridge the gap between urban and rural areas with our role in the project, but we connect people more closely at a time when connectivity is of the utmost importance."

Iskratel will be showcasing its array of innovative solutions at FTTH ‘Virtual’ Conference 2020 from Wednesday, December 2 until Thursday, December 3.