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Fibre in NGN - The X-Factor
Across the world, carriers and ISPs are investing huge sums in next-generation networks, offering uninterrupted and cost-efficient bandwidth to subscribers. And the network’s Layer 1 infrastructure is a key element of such future networks. In a competitive market, vendors are constantly improving the quality and reliability of plugs, cable patches and connector modules. Thus the argument for FTTx as a roadmap for network infrastructures is becoming clear, claims Martin Kellenberger
We may not often think of it nowadays, but at the bottom of the network infrastructure is Layer 1 – and this is a hotly contested market. Connectors, patches and distribution components are all basic parts of building a secure network, and the choice of reliable manufacturer is increasingly being viewed as a tactical – or even strategic – issue by many industry insiders.
A key aspect of Next Generation Networks is the forecast growth in data traffic due to new IP-based bandwidth intensive applications. When making plans to meet this demand, cost has to be considered and fibre optics has a strong case here. Active devices and components for fibre optic networks have a higher purchase price, yet delivery and durability make for a better long-term cost calculation than copper-based infrastructures.
Today’s widely installed TDM infrastructures are optimised for voice traffic and, as we know, they are rather inappropriate for commercial implementation of the next generation of packet-based IP services.
The benefits of fibre optics compared to other transmission technologies make fibre a compelling technology for future high bandwidth applications such as Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH), Fibre-to-the-Premise (FTTP), Fibre-to-the-Curb (FTTC) – or summarised FTTx.
FTTx is eminently poised to be the networking industry standard due to its advantages:
• The continually accelerating reduction in costs associated with fibre deployment
• PON (Passive Optic Network) means no active components between end user and CO (Central Office)
• An increasing demand for voice, data, and video services on a single fiber
• Fibre’s superior reliability, scalability, and security
• Fibre’s status as a future-proof architecture
Forward-thinking vendors are working with a broad range of innovative fibre technologies that will bridge the gap effectively between network transmission and access demands. Fibre optic connections and secure distribution is the basis on which the global networked community will add new features and services at lightning speed, while generating vast new revenue streams.
With the growth in consumer demand for high-speed bundled services such as HDTV, FTTx has been recognised as the ultimate solution. Twisted pair, coax, and hybrid fiber/coax (HFC) networks are not as future-proof as FTTx architecture.
With the continually declining costs of optical equipment FTTx is a technology to watch as it gains the interest of service providers. Its compelling advantage is the creation of a passive optic network (PON) in which all components are passive and can be said to merely provide throughput.
There are no active components in between the central service delivery in the network CO to the end user. This dramatically minimises network maintenance cost and requirements as well as eliminating the need for a DC power network.
It allows the service delivery and management to take place across a single fibre to the end user, providing revenue-generating services with industry standard user interfaces, including voice, high-speed data, HDTV, and video on demand.
Technology available
Traditionally, vendors and buyers of fibre optic components have tended to segregate the market according to quality grade but this is not optimal.
It is possible that a customer bought and is using ‘too good’ a product and that the application could have functioned with less costly equipment. Conversely – and this is even worse – it is possible that components installed are incapable of supporting increased requirements of the service delivery or system-specific capabilities.
Perhaps there is a lack of knowledge in the market – or perhaps it is not sufficiently career-enhancing for any network engineer to dwell too long on Layer 1 discussions – in any case we believe that equipment and know-how for Next Generation Networks are already available in the market, to a higher extent than many realise.
It is worth making an effort to push carriers and ISPs to increase their uptake so that more subscribers will realise the benefits of new services through NGNs.
NGN deployment must support a variety of possible access points – they can be as diverse as home, corporate premises, campus or curb or wireless hotspots. Communication requirements are changing and networks must be capable of more than just providing bandwidth.
The need for comprehensive technical solutions increase – as does the significance of every single component. Performance and quality of the fibre optic components play a central role in delivering the required data transmission reliability and bandwidth to future generations.
Successful production of such high-class components builds on technological excellence and insight into fibre optics physics, and on highly automated production processes.
It is certainly advisable to check for product reliability before you start sending your business-critical data down the wires. To ensure quality, R&M has focused on developing high automated assembly plants with multiple quality testing procedures for each step of the fibre optic and copper production process.
Component management
At R&M, we have focused on the NGN challenges for several years now. We’ve looked ahead in the development of fibre optic as well as copper distribution systems and both technologies have improved vastly over recent years.
Fibre Optic Management System (FOM), xDSL and Triple Play solutions particularly stand out as the areas in which network operators are willing to invest.
With FOM installations, network operators gain a significant advantage regarding convenience and security in distribution systems for fibre optic networks. Handling and management of the connections are considerably simplified and secure.
In turn, the technology provides the foundation for building and installing the network infrastructure. With the right components, a network can be equipped quickly and effectively and thus become more profitable.
Martin Kellenberger is Head of Carrier Consultant, Reichle & De-Massari www.rdm.com
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