Carrier Ethernet equipment vendor Atrica announced a $28.2 million round of funding today and introduced a new product for outdoor deployment.

The newest round of funding, which brings six-year-old Atrica’s total funding close to $180 million, came mostly from existing investors led by Vesbridge Partners and GunnAllen Venture Partners but also included new investor AT&T. The round is comprised of $22.2 million in equity and $6 million in debt from European Venture Partners.

Atrica says it will use the new funds to expand its worldwide customer base in both number and size. To that end, the company has also appointed a new executive vice president of worldwide sales, Matt Giuliano. Atrica currently has about 30 service providers customers, including France Telecom, whose venture capital arm, Innovacom, also participated in the vendor’s latest funding round.

Atrica also introduced a new product today, the A-2160 outdoor carrier Ethernet switch, an active electronic access device designed for outside deployment and hardened to withstand inclement weather. Originally developed for (and with) Cox Communications for a variety of applications including potential use for WiMax backhaul, the box can also be useful in Ethernet-based fiber-to-the-curb and fiber-to-the-building applications, Atrica said. The A-2160 is generally available now and sold in North America by Atrica and its partner, Fujitsu Network Communications.