Direct Communications upgrades its transport network with future-proof Nokia optical infrastructure

Nokia and VarData empower rural broadband leader, Direct Communications, with next-generation reliability, future-proof scalability, and enhanced performance.

Rural America's digital landscape is evolving rapidly. Headquartered in Rockland, Idaho, Direct Communications is a family-owned broadband company that has been connecting Idaho's rural communities since 1954. A pioneer in telecommunications, the third generation-owned operator plays a vital role in fostering business, education, healthcare, and agriculture in the communities it serves.

Driven by increasing demand, Direct Communications continues to invest strategically in next-generation infrastructure to deliver exceptional service to its customers. Recognizing the exponential double-digit traffic growth and the increasing demand for bandwidth-intensive applications, Direct Communications has made the strategic decision to upgrade to a modern optical transport network designed to meet the evolving needs of its customers.

For this strategic investment, Direct Communications partnered with VarData, a key vendor and trusted consultant for network operations. VarData is one of the nation's fastest-growing value-added resellers supporting next-generation networks for service providers and enterprise customers.

After thorough evaluation, Direct Communications selected Nokia as its infrastructure partner for the project. Nokia has significantly invested in bringing its globally renowned technologies to the rural broadband market, delivering solutions specifically designed to meet the needs of operators connecting rural America.

Nokia and VarData deployed a next-generation, 100G optical transport solution based on Nokia's 1830 Photonic Service Switch (PSS) portfolio, a family of DWDM multiservice, multilayer P-OTN carrier-grade transport platforms. The deployment has been successfully completed in Idaho. Nokia, together with VarData, supported Direct Communications throughout the deployment, ensuring seamless implementation.

The result is a highly reliable, high-performance optical network that delivers the capacity, quality, and reliability to Direct Communications' Idaho customers. This future-ready platform positions Direct Communications to continue delivering exceptional, high-quality services for years to come.

The Nokia deployment delivers:

• Increased network capacity with lower latency
• Capability to deliver 100 gig dedicated waves
• Enhanced end-to-end network control and visibility
• Superior quality of service and customer experience
• Improved energy efficiency with reduced power consumption per bit
• Future-proof scalability with seamless upgrade paths to 200G, 400G and 800G

With Nokia's optical transport network, Direct Communications delivers the high-speed, low-latency, high-quality ultra-broadband connectivity essential for today's business and residential customers. The solution provides peace of mind with support from a global leader in optical networking, while maintaining the flexibility to scale and evolve without disruptive forklift.

Nokia's commitment to the rural broadband market ensures that regional operators like Direct Communications have access to the next-generation technologies and expertise that connect communities worldwide. Together, Nokia partners like VarData and service providers like Direct Communications are building the infrastructure that connects rural America.