UK AltNet FullFibre Solves IPv4 Shortage With netElastic BNG And CGNAT Networking Software

LONDON - PrZen -- netElastic, a leading innovator in software solutions for broadband, today announced that rapidly growing UK AltNet FullFibre has successfully scaled its capacity to serve over 140,000 subscribers with netElastic software, following the merge of Zzoomm, Digital Infrastructure/BeFibre, and FullFibre into a single entity passing 600,000 premises. Consolidating their network while battling limitations from their previous vendor regarding costly and time-consuming IP address acquisition led to the need for a change.

The Transition to One Rack Unit x86 Server for BNG and CGNAT

While evaluating upgrade solutions, FullFibre discovered that Juniper MX routers did not combine Broadband Network Gateway (BNG) and Carrier Grade Network Address Translation (CGNAT) while taking up two rack units each. Upon discovering that netElastic offered a single box, one rack unit solution for BNG, CGNAT and netVision monitoring application, FullFibre transitioned to netElastic for the upgrade. Running on standard x86 Dell XR servers with Intel Xeon Gold and 100G NICs, the networking software platform delivers routing, subscriber management and CGNAT with centralized GUI-based management, providing a scalable and reliable foundation, especially while merging three ISPs including wholesale and retail, with ever-increasing customer bandwidth.

Solving the IPv4 Address Shortage and Beyond

Returning excess IPv4 blocks with CGNAT is projected to save 40% over three years, while halving rack space and power draw, which allows FullFibre to invest its savings to further benefit its customers. FullFibre also discovered it could move DHCP onto the router itself. Lease times dropped from one hour to five minutes, allowing the network to detect and renegotiate lost connectivity much faster.

Dave Bell, Head of Networks for FullFibre said, "If you're planning any major broadband network upgrade or consolidation, don't default to traditional hardware BNGs. Look seriously at software-based platforms like netElastic's — they give you the flexibility, massive cost savings, and the future-proofing you actually need in today's IPv4-scarce, high-growth environment."

Weixiao Liu, CEO of netElastic, said, "We're proud to support FullFibre's ambitious growth journey with our integrated BNG and CGNAT solution. FullFibre's success shows exactly why service providers worldwide are moving to software networking: lower TCO, faster scaling, and the freedom to focus resources on customers instead of expensive legacy hardware."

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About netElastic

netElastic provides virtualized routing solutions purpose-built for broadband service providers. netElastic developed one of the industry's first virtual broadband network gateways (vBNGs) including CGNAT from the ground up, and services over 300 ISP customers with over 500 deployments globally. netElastic is based in sunny Santa Clara, California.
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