Adtran and 6WIND partner on vBNG vCGNAT broadband networks

Adtran has recently announced the integration of scalable virtual broadband network gateway (vBNG) and virtual carrier-grade NAT (vCGNAT) technology from 6WIND into its Mosaic software suite. This integration aims to provide service providers with a more agile and cost-effective approach to managing subscriber authentication, routing, and traffic handling. By incorporating vBNG and vCGNAT into the Adtran Mosaic software suite, broadband service providers can now replace expensive, hardware-based BNGs with a software-driven alternative that can scale on demand without compromising performance.

Julien Dahan, CEO of 6WIND, emphasized the significance of virtualization in transforming network infrastructure. He stated, “Virtualization is transforming network infrastructure, and service providers need high-performance, scalable technology to stay competitive.” The integration of vBNG and vCGNAT with Adtran’s Mosaic software suite offers a cloud-native alternative to legacy hardware, reducing costs and enhancing efficiency. This collaboration enables providers to deploy virtualized broadband services with carrier-grade performance while streamlining operations.

By operating as virtual machines on commercial off-the-shelf servers, vBNG and vCGNAT eliminate the need for expensive, proprietary hardware. Adtran has seamlessly integrated vBNG and vCGNAT with its Mosaic software suite and line-rate traffic management within its fiber access platforms. This integration enables non-blocking BNG performance at multigigabit speeds while automating provisioning, authentication, and subscriber monitoring without requiring specialized integration. The architecture is designed for scalability, supporting networks of all sizes, from small deployments to those serving millions of subscribers.

Key broadband functions such as RADIUS authentication, CGNAT, and dynamic routing are supported by this architecture, ensuring carrier-grade performance with low latency and high throughput. Unlike traditional hardware appliances from other vendors that rely on expensive, fixed-capacity hardware, this virtualized approach allows operators to scale from thousands to millions of subscribers with minimal investment.

Robert Conger, GM of software platforms and strategy at Adtran, highlighted the importance of providing service providers with a fully integrated network that scales efficiently. He stated, “Today’s service providers require more than standalone systems — they need a fully integrated network that scales efficiently. By combining high-performance vBNG and vCGNAT with our software applications and fiber access platforms, we’re giving operators an affordable and highly flexible alternative to traditional BNGs.” This partnership builds on the existing collaboration between Adtran and 6WIND, which has already seen the deployment of over 12,000 6WIND routers as the Ensemble vRouter, with hundreds more being deployed each month.