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SureWest Launches FTTH in Kansas City
SureWest Communications has launched fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network service in the Kansas City communities of Merriam and Olathe. The network initially passes 1,500 homes and SureWest plans to reach another 1,500 fiber homes in Merriam and Olathe by November 2008 and 8,000 total by the end of the year. The company is also expanding its FTTH network into the community of Prairie Village by the end of 2008 or early 2009.
SureWest's FTTH platform delivers 100 Mbps of bi-directional bandwidth to each customer's home, which is one of the fastest and most reliable broadband networks of any system in the country. SureWest provides the only residential service in the United States that delivers 50 Mbps of Internet speed both uploading and downloading.
SureWest's FTTH pricing begins at $79.95 for a triple-play of unlimited telephone calling, high-speed Internet and cable TV.
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ADVA Optical Challenges EPON/GPON with WDM-PON Universal Access
ADVA Optical Networking introduced a WDM-PON solution aimed at giving carriers greater capacity and flexibility in both the access and backhaul segments of their network by leveraging wave division multiplexing technology. The Flexible Remote Node (FRN) is an extension of the ADVA FSP 3000 platform. When located at the curb, it can be configured as a purely passive network element with environmentally hardened WDM filters that allow the setup of a point-to-multipoint WDM-PON structure. When located at a street cabinet, the FRN can include active equipment such as optical amplifiers and active Ethernet technology that enable reach extension and traffic aggregation.
ADVA Optical Networking said its introduction of WDM into the FTTx environment challenges current EPON (Ethernet PON) and GPON (Gigabit PON), because both of these architectures use protocol-based traffic separation, which creates security concerns for high-end users. Bandwidth scalability is affected by the demands of neighboring customers. Loss-intensive splitting and the absence of optical amplification limit the reach of such solutions to roughly 20km.
In contrast, a WDM-PON approach uses wavelength-based traffic separation implemented with wavelength-selective filters. Bandwidth–per-cabinet, -building or -end user can be scaled nearly indefinitely, while the reach can be extended to 100km or more. The combination of secure traffic separation, scalable bandwidth and extended reach enables carriers to serve a wider customer base from fewer active sites. It eliminates the need for purpose-built platforms and allows a streamlined network operation with fewer operational staff.
ADVA also points to energy efficiency through the elimination of active equipment and the reduction in number of active network sites.
"There is true benefit to having WDM in both the access and backhaul segments of the network," stated Christoph Glingener, chief technology officer of ADVA Optical Networking. "There have been several false starts in the industry regarding FTTx (Fiber-to-the-x) deployments; many solutions have shown limited scalability, introduced network complexity and increased operational costs. Our new unified approach, employing a WDM-PON solution, will enable service providers of all kinds to extend the benefits of WDM into the access network, thereby eliminating active sites and reducing overall network costs."...
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USDA Announces $342 Million in Rural Broadband, Telecommunications Loans
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that broadband and telecommunications loans totaling more than $342 million are being awarded to 18 communications firms serving 22 states. The funds will help bring new and improved telecommunications services to rural residents and businesses. The loans are being made through the Rural Development Broadband Loan and Loan Guarantee Program, which provides low-interest loans to deploy broadband and telecommunications services to rural communities of 20,000 residents or less, with first priority going to areas without broadband. Rural Development is also providing funding through the Telecommunications Infrastructure Loan Program, which makes loans to local firms working to provide both voice and broadband services in areas with 5,000 or fewer citizens.
The USDA cited several examples of how the money is being spent. Fort Mojave Telecommunications, Inc. in Mojave Valley, Ariz., will use a $16.9 million Rural Development telecommunications loan to connect 60 subscribers, deploy 36 route miles of fiber and copper cables, make improvements and additions to its existing plant and construct a 2,000-square-foot warehouse on leased land on the Fort Mojave Reservation in the Arizona Village Exchange.
International Broadband Electric Communications, Inc., in Hokes Bluff, Ala., was selected to receive a $49.2 million loan to construct a broadband over power line (BPL) network. The company will partner with 13 electric utilities to provide BPL service in seven states to connect 62,143 subscribers. The states are Alabama, Indiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. TCT West, Inc., Basin, Wyo., will use an $11.4 million Rural Development loan to construct a fiber-to-the-home system in Cody, Wyo., connect 7,278 subscribers and provide enhanced services to approximately 5,306 video and 9,823 voice subscribers.
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Singapore Chooses OpenNet for Next Gen Fiber Project
The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) has selected the OpenNet consortium as its successful Network Company (NetCo).
OpenNet will be contracted to provide passive fibre grid services for Singapore's Next Generation National Broadband Network (NGNBN). OpenNet will be making use of existing ducts and other underlying infrastructure, thereby minimizing disruption to the public and enabling the network to reach homes and buildings nationwide by 2012.
The OpenNet consortium consists of Axia-Netmedia (30%), Singapore Telecommunications (30%), Singapore Press Holdings (25%) and SP Telecommunications Pte Ltd (15%).
OpenNet expects to complete the agreement contracting process with the IDA as planned within the next seven months and expects that the Singapore-wide fiber grid will be completed by June 2012. This fiber grid will be made available on equal terms at very compelling prices to any parties qualified by the IDA.
Art Price, Chairman and CEO, Axia NetMedia, said: "OpenNet's approach is future-proof with no compromises from either the technology or business structure perspectives for the passive segment of the network. I believe that Singapore will be the showcase for how compelling the no-conflict open access fibre-to-the-premise solution can be for end-users in metropolitan communities."
A key component of the solution involves OpenNet acquiring access to existing infrastructure through usage fees that vary
with the market adoption of OpenNet's services.
This is the first part of IDA's competitive RFP process for a complete Next Generation National Broadband Network. The second part is the provision of active broadband services over the fiber grid.
Some key elements of the project:
- As the selected NetCo, OpenNet will design, build and operate the passive infrastructure of the Next Gen NBN that will be capable of delivering speeds of up to 1 Gbps and beyond.
- The Government of Singapore will provide a grant of up to S$750 million to the NetCo to support the network rollout.
- OpenNet will offer attractive wholesale prices of S$15 per month per residential fiber connection and S$50 per month per non-residential fiber connection, to the Operating Companies or OpCos. Such wholesale prices are expected to bring about competitive retail prices in the ultra-high speed broadband market.
- To encourage premise owners to connect their homes and businesses to the network, OpenNet is required to waive installation charges for home and building owners when the network first reaches their premises.
- Under a Universal Service Obligation, which will take effect from 2013, OpenNet will also fulfill all subsequent requests to install fibre termination points in homes, offices and buildings.
- In its proposal, OpenNet will deploy and own all the fibre optic cables and offer wholesale dark fibre services to downstream operators on a non-discriminatory basis as set out in the RFP.
- OpenNet will make use of relevant existing underlying passive infrastructure assets, such as ducts, manholes and exchanges, belonging to its partner, SingTel, to facilitate the deployment of its fibre network.
- As part of OpenNet's proposal, SingTel has committed to transfer these underlying assets to a neutral party within 24 months of the NetCo's Contractual and Financial Close, or CFC in short. The CFC will take place within seven months of the project award (September 2008).
- A neutral party, called the Asset Company or AssetCo, will be an independent and separately managed company. It will be owned by a registered business trust or will be structured in a similar manner to be approved by IDA. SingTel, as a member of OpenNet, has also committed to reduce its stake in this AssetCo within five years of the CFC and seek the relevant shareholders' and regulatory approvals, where required. As part of the successful close of the RFP, SingTel is also required to submit to IDA for approval, a detailed implementation plan on the formation of the AssetCo and subsequent partial divestment of its relevant underlying assets.
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NSN Promotes VDSL2 as best Migration Path to Next Gen Access Networks
Nokia Siemens Networks is introducing a suite of VDSL2 access platforms at next week's Broadband World Forum Europe in Brussels. Specifically designed for fiber-to-the-building applications, the platforms would allow operators to offer up to 100 Mbps bandwidth. The new platforms will include:
- SURPASS hiX5608 -- a small size "mini-DSLAM" based on VDSL2. The product is designed for in-building installations. First pilots will be in conducted in October/November 2008. The company expects commercial roll outs to start in the beginning 2009. The main markets are in Europe, especially the CLECs starting FTTB rollouts in dense urban areas.
- SURPASS hiX5621 and hiX5622 -- access platforms designed for fiber-to-the-curb or building applications and capable of delivering bandwidth of up to 50 Mbps. The hiX5621 features one service slot and supports 72 ADSL2+ or 72 VoIP or 48 VDSL2-ports, while the hiX5622 can support double the number of ports including a combination of different technologies. Both will be available for trials in 1Q09 for European markets.
Nokia Siemens Networks is also introducing a new software package for optimizing IPTV over new and existing VDSL2 and ADSL2+ network. The software. which is targeted for release in the first half of 2009, would help minimize packet loss across the network.
"The traffic in networks will continue its rapid growth and VDSL2 capacity can satisfy this need for the next few years," says Martin Lüst, Head of Broadband Access business unit, Nokia Siemens Networks. "It provides a smooth, cost-effective and high quality migration path to the passive opti-cal fibre access technology that will eventually dominate the network."...
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