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Author Topic: A VM FTTP Question  (Read 2615 times)

Bowdon

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A VM FTTP Question
« on: October 31, 2017, 11:55:22 AM »

I was wondering the other day, why would VM decide to use FTTP technology in certain areas over their own docsis technology?
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ejs

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Re: A VM FTTP Question
« Reply #1 on: October 31, 2017, 08:33:38 PM »

Because fibre optic cabling is better suited to delivering a high bandwidth Internet connection.

The docsis technology is just for making use of the coax cables originally laid for cable TV. The coax cables are better than telephone wires, but I think it's main advantage is that the cables are already there. What they decide to use for new areas probably depends on the size of the new area and the state of the existing nearby infrastructure that they would be connecting it to.
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Bowdon

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Re: A VM FTTP Question
« Reply #2 on: November 01, 2017, 01:06:01 PM »

I didn't know that kind of detail.

I just found it interesting that in most areas VM seem to really go to work in building up its cable reach, and then for some areas now to be getting full fibre technology instead of their usual docsis technology.

99% of the telephone symbol on roadworks in my area is VM. The only recent BT ones have been removing old telephone boxes! (speaking of which, the last time I used a telephone box it cost 50p !! for 1 minute)
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niemand

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Re: A VM FTTP Question
« Reply #3 on: November 01, 2017, 09:26:22 PM »

I was wondering the other day, why would VM decide to use FTTP technology in certain areas over their own docsis technology?

Cost of build, speed of build, lower ongoing operational costs.
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shambly

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Re: A VM FTTP Question
« Reply #4 on: November 02, 2017, 03:30:39 PM »

As I understand it is not actually FTTP at all in the conventional sense but uses the optical fibre to carry the RF spectrum carrying the DOCSIS signals to the premise, at which point it is converted - at an Optical Network Unit - to conventional coax carrying the signal into the home - to which all the VM DOCSIS equipment within your house connects.

The technique is called Radio Frequency Over Glass (RFoG).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_frequency_over_glass
« Last Edit: November 02, 2017, 03:33:26 PM by shambly »
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WWWombat

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Re: A VM FTTP Question
« Reply #5 on: November 02, 2017, 08:21:24 PM »

The main cost is in digging. Not in what you put in the resulting hole.

As far as I can see, the biggest driver in laying cables today is to aim to never need to dig them up and replace them again ... if at all possible. And certainly not en-mass. This is the #1 priority.

Given what we know today about what might happen with data demands, it makes sense that you only consider putting fibre in ... providing you can get that fibre to work with your nearby infrastructure easily enough.

Result:
- Where there is no existing street infrastructure, put in fibre. Then use RFoG to hook that fibre into the existing core infrastructure.
- Where there is existing street infrastructure supporting coax, lay down more coax.

The same idea governs BT with new-builds. For a long time, new-builds should have been built with fibre (or at least ducts for the fibre) in the new streets, but they haven't always had fibre in the existing streets (back to the exchange) for them to connect into.

In the period of 2008-2013 (ish), it was probably right to build estates with copper plus empty fibre ducts, because there'd be little fibre spine to connect to. Now that has changed, and with a more ubiquitous spine in place, there is a better scope for BT to have swapped to a fibre-only design.
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