Alcatel-Lucent has unveiled an update to its VDSL2 Vectoring technology, which helps to sweat an operator’s copper assets by delivering superfast broadband speeds.

A-L unveiled the technology 12 months ago, claiming it would provide speeds of 100 Mbps and reduce costly fibre broadband outlays for the “last mile”.

An A-L spokesperson told European Communications that trials of the technology had taken place with over 20 operators during the past year.

“Both the technology and the business case have been proven to work,” he said.

However, the trial also proved that in order to deploy VDSL2 Vectoring, operators would have to update the firmware on all VDSL2 modems on the network – a costly and time-consuming exercise.

The update, entitled Zero Touch, enables operators to eliminate this need and save themselves “six months work or more”.

Specifically, Zero Touch uses sophisticated signal processing to automatically ensure that VDSL2 modems already installed in customers’ homes can continue to run at full speed without undermining the service quality for customers subscribing to higher-speed VDSL2 Vectoring.

“With our Zero Touch Vectoring and other innovations we are eliminating the final barriers that service providers around the world have faced – enabling them to deliver higher bandwidth to more subscribers now,” commented Dave Geary, head of A-L’s wireline activities.

A-L said Telekom Austria was using the technology in a commercial environment and it hoped to announce more customer contracts in the coming weeks.