The Importance of Planning for 10G PON with Future-Proofed Networks
Work-and learn-from-home mandates, countless video conferences, the ongoing swing towards video streaming services—this will be a long chapter in our history books. Our changes in behavior, many due to the COVID-19 pandemic, directly impacted our broadband network needs. While at times frustrating, the lessons learned will have a long-lasting impact on how our broadband networks are built with the future in mind. Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative (FTC) in rural northeast Alabama was ahead of the network demand game in 2018 when it began to shift its customers off Active Ethernet and onto GPON. A catalyst of that change came in the form of a new development that brought tons of families into a very rural area. “It was an area that we would have previously expected to serve maybe two homes in,” Charles Austin, Manager of Network Engineering and Operations at FTC, said.
the ONT is managed by the same group who manage the carrier network--the same people who manage that ONT. So, it flattened the organization quite a bit and reduced the need for specialized-and expensive--knowledge.” After that school district, FTC bit the bullet and began its shift over to XGS-PON. Kevin Kuo, Director of Product and Solution Marketing at Calix, said FTC made the right choice in its XGS-PON solution. “XGS-PON is an up-and-coming 10G PON solution, and it conveniently coexists with GPON,” making the transition easy for providers. While the improvements may look and sound expensive to carriers looking to make the switch, Austin said the upgrade has well paid off over time. He reported that FTC has also seen significant decreases in truck roll numbers thanks to the change. Austin stressed the importance of making that shift now, rather than waiting and having to scramble when customers start demanding 5G connections.
Considering its high cost and infrastructure needs, Active Ethernet was not a plausible solution. GPON allowed FTC to connect a neighborhood of families over a single fiber link. And for a while, GPON served FTC’s customers well. Until 2020.
FBA LATAM Corner
By Edna Preuss, Director, Industry Affairs & Member Services, FBA LATAM Chapter The Fiber Broadband Association’s LATAM Chapter works hard to represent the industry in Latin America and advocate for the implementation of fiber technology across the region. Since creation in 2011, when fiber optic services were at the initial embryonic stages in the region, the organization has provided knowledge, resources and training to many operators that now have their network steadily transitioning from copper or HFC fixed line infrastructure to fiber. Nonetheless, the growth doesn’t come without its challenges. The pandemic intensified the importance of access to highquality connectivity to sustain economies, labor productivity, education, health and interpersonal relationships. Keeping these challenges in mind and aligning them with the reality of the deficits of a growing but economically fluctuating and diverse region, the LATAM Chapter, led by its President Nelson Saito and very engaged Board of Directors, has put together many efforts to stay relevant during a social distant period.
of the entire telecommunications ecosystem and national fiber programs, and current acquisition strategies underway in the telecommunications sector will lead to massive growth of fiber networks in Latin America, surpassing old DSL networks. Certainly, there are many efforts to be implemented to keep momentum going and the industry growing. In recent work by the Regulatory committee under the leadership of Eduardo Jedruch, a few points were identified as important ways to generate a positive impact to support connectivity infrastructure. They include providing transport and interconnection networks, promoting sharing of telecom infrastructure among service providers, and encouraging public-private projects to offer coverage and reach the most neglected and vulnerable sectors.
The annual conference, historically held in a different country of Latin America every year, was held virtually in 2020 and 2021. The first edition of the Fiber Connect LATAM 2021 (June 25-26) had record-breaking registrations. The event focused on “Fiber Promoting the Connection and Transformation of Society” and brought together industry-leading experts. Marketing Director Liza Poe, the members of the Marketing Committee, and the Board of Directors worked incessantly to create strong content and an engaging virtual experience.
According to the Pew Research Center, one in five employees worked from home prior to 2020. In a matter of days, that number jumped to 71%. Eighty-one percent of those employed adults working from home say they use video conferencing services to stay connected with their teams. The number for students learning from home is likely even higher. Higher bandwidth was no longer a luxury but a necessity. Suddenly, GPON was not sufficient to carry customers’ bandwidth needs. FTC needed a new solution, and it came as a result of a local school district’s needs. Charles Austin, Manager of Network Engineering and Operations, said FTC needed a plan to cover a network of schools in its region, and XGS-PON was the answer. Utilizing a single fiber already existing as part of the former GPON network, FTC was able to deploy service to this network of schools with no new construction or slicing needed. After that school district, FTC bit the bullet and began its shift over to XGS-PON. “It’s much more efficient from the fiber standpoint,” Austin said. “And from the operational standpoint, a single fiber running to
Fiber for Breakfast Summaries continue on page 52
Recognizing the change in interaction and the need to continue training, the Chapter is renovating its Training and Certification Program. A strong team effort is coming together guided by Technology Director Nicanor Ruiz and Operations Director Felipe Antunes to create eight different courses: Fiber Fundamentals, Project Designer, Field & Operations Expert, Premises Installer, Architectures, Business Expert, and Passive Optical LAN Designer. The program is at its final stages of completion and will be made available to the public shortly.
The mission of the LATAM Chapter is to promote the development of fiber optic network infrastructure as a universal platform for ultra-broadband access. As an organization advocating for the deployment of Fiber technology in Latin America, we work diligently and appeal to regulatory and government agencies, service providers, technology providers, investment and funding companies, asking them to join our organization’s initiatives and support the development of regional economies.
Continuing to assess the market and provide a benchmark to the region, the organization conducted its annual market study and confirmed the continuous growth of fiber deployment – Latin America surpassed 80 million homes passed by fiber. The region has intensified efforts to reach remote and isolated areas with full-fiber connectivity, many of them with strong performance from local and municipal providers. The number of subscribers also continues to grow. These advancements point to great growth in the market generated by the engagement
The mission of the LATAM Chapter is to promote the development of fiber optic network infrastructure as a universal platform for ultra-broadband access.
Source: Pew Research Center
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