Re: FCCs RFC for the Definition of Broadband

[Leo Bicknell <bicknell () ufp org>]

In a message written on Thu, Aug 27, 2009 at 09:57:56AM -0500, Jack Bates wrote:
> oversimplified, in reality, many of the FTTH comments in this thread 
> imply bringing all customers back to the CO to keep active equipment out 
> of the plant. This will tend to imply large fiber bundles leaving the CO 
> and breaking down smaller and smaller as you get further from the CO. A 
> large fiber cut may mean 128+ splices to restore service at 1 splice per 
> customer.

The interesting technology here of course is split optical networks.
A single fiber from the CO to a remote splice box, split to 10-100
customers.  I'm not really up on this technology, but my understanding
is that development is rapid in this space.

> Hope they have disaster insurance. A good tornado or wildfire (or 
> backhoe) can do some serious damage. I had both this year in Lone Grove. 
> Fun. Fun. Fiber rings to remote field equipment still gives the best 
> redundancy and maintenance cost (as there is less to splice over the 
> longhaul to the remote system).

I hate to say it, but this was an advantage to "Ma Bell".  Insurance
is about spreading risk out over many participants.  An alternative
strategy is to pool everything into one company! :)

My perception is that the rural telecom market is fragmented by many
smaller players, which amplifies this problem.

-- 
       Leo Bicknell - bicknell () ufp org - CCIE 3440
        PGP keys at http://www.ufp.org/~bicknell/

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