Future Proof?Utilities behind Europe fiber push ( old news - 10:47AM Wednesday Dec 17 2003) tags: Fiber · business · worldAnalysts call fiber to the home (FTTH) the 'most future proof' of the broadband technologies. While it's predicted that DSL and cable should dominate until 2010, the technology is only developing in patches - municipals and utilities leading the way. The Yankee Group this week released an exploration of FTTH development in Europe, citing cost as the most obvious hurdle left to overcome. The Yankee Group notes that public municipalities and utility companies will be the driving force behind residential fiber deployments. So far that's been the case in the United States as well, with utilities using excess fiber to get into the residential broadband business when possible. This week did see some movement among the bells, with SBC signing Alcatel to a four year contract to provide equipment for the company's residential fiber deployment plans. What kind of deployment volume that will eventually translate into is anyone's guess. The bell's have been hesitant to invest in fiber until they witness the perfect regulatory environment. A Verizon press release this week again stresses that the company is ready to invest in fiber, but still isn't entirely pleased with the FCC's Triennial review. For the time being DSL is where the profit is, so there's plenty of time for chicken and the egg arguments. Some at the FCC are apparently growing tired of the debate, Commissioner Kevin Martin this month telling the bells to invest first, and the FCC will respond. "For years incumbents have been saying 'deregulate our provision of broadband, and we will invest,' but now that broadband deployment is deregulated, they are saying, 'deregulate the provision of our historically monopoly service, basic phone service, and we will invest in broadband'," recently noted Martin at a legal conference. "They essentially are saying, 'free us, and we will invest.'" Martin says the FCC has responded: "Invest and you will be free."For Verizon's part, they are the most aggressive of the bells when it comes to fiber deployments, at least in terms of promises. According to this Telephony On-line article, Verizon CTO Mark Wegleitner says Verizon will be investing $600-800 million on fiber to the premises in 2004 - roughly 10% of its $6 billion wireline capital expenditures budget.
Related:- Friday Evening Links
- BT Scales Back 'Fiber To The Press Release' Plans
- ISPs Shouldn't Pretend To Be Content Companies
- Wednesday Evening Links
- Australia Announces $31 Billion Fiber Network
- BT CEO On FTTH: 'Most People Are Happy With A Ford'
- Dig Your Own Fiber Trench, Save $400
- British Telecom Losing Its Fiber Phobia?
|
 
AthlGrond
Premium,MVM
join:2002-04-25
Aurora, CO
 ·Comcast
| Invest and you will be free (I just like that quote, sounds like something an investment planner would say!)
said by Article:
Analysts call fiber to the home (FTTH) the 'most future proof' of the broadband technologies.
Due to its inherent capacity it makes an ideal way of getting all the information into a home. Phone, data, TV it has the capacity to do it all, further the equipment at either end can be upgraded to provide additional capacity in the future.
If I were an ILEC I would be scared stiff. | |
| garmst
join:2000-09-17
New York, NY | Wireless Wireless is future proof. Fiber is a fad. | |
|  | wentlanc
You Can't Fix Dumb..
join:2003-07-30
Maineville, OH | Re: Wireless Not for long distance runs. Wireless is a decent lower bandwidth solution. But for long hauls, nothing can substitute fiber.
puritan | |
| | | 
Omega
Displaced Ohioan
Premium
join:2002-07-30
Cheyenne, WY
clubs:  | Re: Wireless I would prefer a wired internet service, more dependable. | |
| | | | IIdeathboyII
join:2003-07-26
Nicholasville, KY
| Re: Wireless I agree that a wired service is more dependable, take this example for instance ; imagine your stomach is no longer connected to your esophagus, and food that you intake is broken down into tiny particles and transferred through space and time. CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW MANY VIRUSES YOU COULD GET?! =D
--
_Dont Steal...The Government hates competition_ | |
| | | garmst
join:2000-09-17
New York, NY | The technology of wireless is still in its infancy. What you will have in the future will be way beyond what we have now. And much easier and faster to deploy.
WIMAX coming down the road soon is just one example. | |
| | bmn
? ? ?
Premium,ExMod 2003-06
join:2001-03-15
hiatus
| said by garmst  :
Wireless is future proof. Fiber is a fad.
Actually the reverse is probably true... Of course it depends on they way you look at telecommunications.
Fibre can provide bandwidth above 100Gbps... Wireless on the other hand is far from that.
And then you have the spectrum issues. As wireless becomes more pervasive, you have to consider spectrum crowding, a problem that fibre does not have.
--
Male by birth... Geek by choice. | |
| wentlanc
You Can't Fix Dumb..
join:2003-07-30
Maineville, OH
| FTTH will kill off most phone services That is the biggest problem. Once people have FTTH, there really is no longer a need for a copper pots line. Sure they are great in case of power loss, but that is not too frequent.
I can sort of see the bells, and cable co's points. If municipalities are allowed to build networks, then they can offer voice, video, and data for less, and eliminate the need for phone and cable co's. So the phone and cable co's want to be able to create a private network without competition before they will build out a new network. But in turn, the lack of movement is spurring on exactly what they don't want, competition. Ultimately, I think that the network and service companies should be, and will be, separate entities.
puritan | |
| |
AthlGrond
Premium,MVM
join:2002-04-25
Aurora, CO
·Comcast
| Re: FTTH will kill off most phone services said by wentlanc :
Ultimately, I think that the network and service companies should be, and will be, separate entities.
I vote for that! It's the only thing that really makes sense in the long run. | |
| | 
Wills
join:2001-01-03
Port Charlotte, FL
| Bull. The only reason that the telecomms are complaining about this is because they don't want to make the investment to run fiber.
If they did we'd have it already.
The muni's and the utilities have the goverment money to spend to do this. If the telecomms would get off the wallet, there wouldn't be a problem. If they started doing it en masse before the muni's they wouldn't complain. They sat on their laurels and told people "it's too expensive" while thinking "if we ignore them they'll go away".
Now that mistake is biting them in the backside. They deserve it.
--
Abit VP-6 twin 800EB's @ 1002 Mhz.Proud member of the XDC. | |
| | | achuchma
join:2001-04-11
Tampa, FL
| Re: FTTH will kill off most phone services In part I agree with you, but given how far the telecom sector is in the toilet with finances, it really isn't something that can happen right away.
--
Playing the Tuba isn't an art, it's an adventure! http://www.lakesidepride.org | |
| | 
The Folsom
Kindly Shut Your Noise Hole.
Premium
join:2003-01-31
Yucaipa, CA
 ·Verizon FIOS
| said by wentlanc :
That is the biggest problem. Once people have FTTH, there really is no longer a need for a copper pots line. Sure they are great in case of power loss, but that is not too frequent.
I can sort of see the bells, and cable co's points. If municipalities are allowed to build networks, then they can offer voice, video, and data for less, and eliminate the need for phone and cable co's. So the phone and cable co's want to be able to create a private network without competition before they will build out a new network. But in turn, the lack of movement is spurring on exactly what they don't want, competition. Ultimately, I think that the network and service companies should be, and will be, separate entities.
puritan
Puritan, I have come to respect your opinion.
I wish the bells, cables and corps would SHUT UP about lost revenues when faced with munis... That is capitalism, sure, but lobbies are evil because of that. We'll never have good results with munis as long as the lobbyists are hounding lawmakers-"Please, Sir, I want MORE!"
Pathetic. Corps are swimming in money, and they begrudge the munis for wanting to protect their constituents from corporate rape. (Sorry for the generalization.)
At the same time, though, I will never give up POTS copper if it is still offered in my neighborhood. Networks, to me, are still too "fragile" to be counted on for voice calls. QOS is still not stringent enough to ensure reliability. Even though they still end up running on the same pipes as voice, they are just not "robust" enough, and I just can't seem to get away from the "having a good backup" mentality. The bells have built a time-tested network that works more consistently, but they want it all. Therein lies the rub:
Corporate greed versus munis "protecting" the people.
My $.02
--
I once accidentally spilled spot remover on my dog and he disappeared. Take a look at these sites: »www.prepaidlegal.com/info/kfolsom (Pre-Paid Legal Memberships)»www.prepaidlegal.com/go/kfolsom (Business Opportunity)»www.folsomtech.com | |
| | | 
T Jackson
@attbi.co
| Re: FTTH will kill off most phone services The government envading private enterprise is just somthing that the government shouldn't be getting into. The only good things that this does for the muni's is to help them generate more government money and give polititains more power.... and causes excessive government entanglement in business. | |
| | | |
The Folsom
Kindly Shut Your Noise Hole.
Premium
join:2003-01-31
Yucaipa, CA
·Verizon FIOS
| Re: FTTH will kill off most phone services said by T Jackson:
The government envading private enterprise is just somthing that the government shouldn't be getting into. The only good things that this does for the muni's is to help them generate more government money and give polititains more power.... and causes excessive government entanglement in business.
I don't see the munis as being invasive if the people are given a choice between provider(s) a, b, c or muni alternative. But corps want to keep munis out of the mix altogether. At least if the corps are given an incentive to give competitive service and prices the people will win as a result. The people have a right to consider their alternatives, and if munis are excluded, this is not happening. If broadband can be offered as a utility, then the corps are forced to play fair; this is what they wish to avoid.
--
I once accidentally spilled spot remover on my dog and he disappeared. Take a look at these sites: »www.prepaidlegal.com/info/kfolsom (Pre-Paid Legal Memberships)»www.prepaidlegal.com/go/kfolsom (Business Opportunity)»www.folsomtech.com | |
|
Agent 86
| Verizon If Verizon follows through on their plans it will have a profound effect on the FTTH market. Equipment vendors will be stimulated and costs will come down. | |
| 
Sisqo
World Champs. Babe Who?
Premium
join:2002-08-14
Methuen, MA
| FTTH or bust... I myself can not wait for fiber deployment, for a few reasons. I am sick of 1.5 DSL & would love & i mean LOVE to broadcast HDTV right to my comp screen.
I mean imagine having the true effect of fiber 100Mbs! That is insane, of course we are about 10 years away from that, but imagine in the next couple of years running 10mbs+.
I just hope the bells do deploy this because obviously the more out there then better for competition.
--
No it's not a payphone, it's a portable phone! | |
| | bmn
? ? ?
Premium,ExMod 2003-06
join:2001-03-15
hiatus
| Re: FTTH or bust... said by Sisqo :
I mean imagine having the true effect of fiber 100Mbs! That is insane, of course we are about 10 years away from that, but imagine in the next couple of years running 10mbs+.
Yeah, and then the BellCos and MSOs will slam you with a crappy upload speed and strict ToS that says you can't actually use that speed. Seriously, if you give 100Mbps to the house, why the hell stop people from running websites and servers from their home ?
Trust me. It will happen if they keep the same business model that they have now and people will still be grumbling about it...
--
Male by birth... Geek by choice. | |
| | |
Sisqo
World Champs. Babe Who?
Premium
join:2002-08-14
Methuen, MA
| Re: FTTH or bust... I'm not even going to respond to that one, but I knew we couldn't discuss this without some form of bell bashing. Shame on me! **sigh** Good ol' BBR! 
--
No it's not a payphone, it's a portable phone! | |
| | | | bmn
? ? ?
Premium,ExMod 2003-06
join:2001-03-15
hiatus
| Re: FTTH or bust... Its less Bell bashing and more a prediction based on prior conduct. They limit the way you use your connection in order to force you to use a higher priced service that is basically the same.
If anyone can provide me a reason WHY they would change from the way they restrict use, please do.
--
Male by birth... Geek by choice. | |
| 
chd176
join:2003-01-10
Winfield, AL
 ·CenturyLink
| less talk more action I wish they would stop TALKING about fiber and actually put fiber in place and USE the fiber that is already there...right now I have a fiber line under the ground near my house but my only broadband is satellite...broadband needs to be rolled out everywhere and I doubt fiber will do that...90% of the fiber that goes live will be for communities in the city or suburbs while rural areas will still have 56K dialup and satellite...
--
Sotec 1.2 Mhz, 224 MB RAM, DW6000, windows XP home, Direcway SRS, G3C, signal 75, 3 PCs networked with linksys wireless router, 2 802.11b clients, 1 directly wired clinet | |
| | tonekilla
Pipe Dreams
Premium
join:2003-07-26
Gunnison, MS
clubs: | Re: less talk more action I agree with that. But they have to develop and test their business model in profitable areas, or else investors will run away in the masses. | |
| | TACSPEED
Premium
join:2001-04-14
Tacoma, WA
·Advanced Stream
1 edit | quote:
90% of the fiber that goes live will be for communities in the city or suburbs while rural areas will still have 56K dialup and satellite...
Here in Washington state the percentages are the opposite.
There is far more FTTH in rural Washington because our state legislators recognized that broadband was important for rural development. Add that to the long history of public utilities in Washington state and you have four rural counties offering fiber to the home right now with the potential for even more. On the other hand, I know of only one tiny FTTH development in one of the suburbs of Seattle.
--
Fiber Optics is the future of high-speed internet access. Stop by the BBR Fiber Optic Forum.
| |
| | 
Synon29
join:2003-09-13
Cabot, AR
| Ditto I would love to have fiber to the home. As for wireless being more future proof than fiber I don't think so. While wireless might be easier, and quicker to deploy right now I think it's going to reach it's limits much quicker than fiber. Fiber has much more promise in terms of speed, and has no spectrum issues. I'm running on fixed point wireless right now and i'd drop it in a minute for good dsl, cable or fiber. | |
| | | Brisk
Qwest's Spirit Of Service Inaction
join:2003-07-11
Colorado Springs, CO
clubs: |  Still waiting for 1.5 DSL...and 768
Enough said. | |
| nexus79
Premium
join:2003-07-08
Japan
|  I've got FTTH..
--
Bandwidth is just like money - you can never get enough of it! | |
| |
The Folsom
Kindly Shut Your Noise Hole.
Premium
join:2003-01-31
Yucaipa, CA | Re: I've got FTTH.. Fiber to the World! Yeah, baby! Yeah! | |
| | |
Synon29
join:2003-09-13
Cabot, AR | Re: I've got FTTH.. heheh where do i sign up? FTTW | |
| | nickpdx
Premium
join:2003-10-19
Portland, OR
| said by nexus79 :
I just got a 100Mbps FTTH Internet connection to my apartment.. it includes VoIP. I've used many Internet connections - when I was a kid I remember my 0.3Kbit/s commodore modem, then I've had 9.6kbps dialing into BBS's back with my 286, then I had 28.8, then 33.6, then 56k, then ISDN 64/128K, then 768/128Kbps Cable Modem, then 1.5/0.5Mbps ADSL, then 8/1Mbps ADSL, then wireless GPRS, then 26/1Mbps ADSL, and now 100/100Mbps FTTH. I'd have to say that by FAR this type of connectivity beats all the others in every single aspect, and it's definitely the future. Everyone will eventually have it.. the power that emanates from that fiber line is incredible... I'm about to ditch my ADSL and even my phone line altogether, since I don't need it anymore.
your lucky to live in japan | |
| | | nexus79
Premium
join:2003-07-08
Japan | Re: I've got FTTH.. Not lucky - I *chose* to live here ^_^ | |
| | | | nickpdx
Premium
join:2003-10-19
Portland, OR
| Re: I've got FTTH.. i didnt choose to live here  i need to get out of oregon  i dont like it here - too rainy  | |
| 
rillbee
join:2003-12-05
Mckinney, TX
| Fiber to the BRAIN! If you look at countries that are further along than the US in terms of broadband deployment (Japan, S. Korea) you can see that fiber is the wave of the future. Wireless and wired electrical technologies (DSL, Cable) will have their niche as lower bandwidth solutions in less developed countries without existing copper infrastructure (wireless) or rural areas in developed countries. | |
| | Zunger
join:2003-08-24
Fayetteville, AR | Re: Fiber to the BRAIN! yea, lets keep upgrading the people in the city and tell the rural people where to go! Sounds like good ol' capatalistic america! | |
| | | |
|
|
