Redback Networks (RBAK) says has won the second phase of a broadband network upgrade with the largest provincial carrier in China, Guangdong Telecom.

Guangdong Telecom will use Redback's SmartEdge family of multi-service edge routers to deliver broadband internet, IPTV and virtual private network (VPN) services for up to four million homes and businesses.

This announcement is one of the largest network upgrades that Redback will help manage in China. Guangdong Telecom is the largest independently run provincial carrier of China Telecom (CHA), which has more than 50 million customers and contributes one-quarter of China Telecom's revenues and one-third of China Telecom's profit. Guangdong Telecom is planning to grow the broadband business more aggressively and double the number of broadband subscribers in the next one or two years.

With more than 50 million broadband customers, China is Redback's second largest market outside of the United States. In the last 18 months, Redback's SmartEdge multi-service edge routers have been deployed in 22 of the 32 provinces in China. For China Telecom, this includes provincial carriers in Guangdong, Zhejiang, Fujian, Anhui, Hubei, Jiangxi, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Heilongjiang and Tibet. For China Netcom, this includes similar deployments in Shandong, Liaoning, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Henan, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Zhejiang, Chongqing and Yunnan.

"We thank Guangdong Telecom for selecting Redback," said Simon Williams, vice president of sales and operations in Asia at Redback Networks. "Building out broadband networks strengthens worldwide competitiveness, and we are pleased that Guangdong Telecom leaders share Redback's vision of single IP network for broadband data, voice and video services. Over time, we see a future where all communications services will be managed in harmony under a single IP-based broadband infrastructure."

The company says twelve of the top 20 DSL carriers worldwide deploy Redback's SmartEdge multi-service edge routers to deliver broadband services to tens of millions of business and residential customers worldwide. These customers include British Telecom, Belgacom, BellSouth, China Telecom, China Netcom, Chunghwa Telecom, France Telecom, Korea Telecom and Turk Telecom.