PETER DYKES THE MDU CHALLENGE
to 10Gbps. MoCA also provides full accessibility to all its specifications, by facilitating backwards interoperability with MoCA 2.0 and MoCA 1.1. Mike Talbert, vice president, Multimedia over Coax Alliance says, “Although Wi-Fi has improved dramatically over the years, what has been learned this past two years is that working, streaming, and learning is increasingly being done through a home-based network. Clearly live content streaming, gaming, and Ultra-High-Definition (UHD) format programming all increase the need for higher network bandwidth and consistent speeds that even the most robust wireless networks cannot achieve alone.” He adds, “MoCA enables network providers to use MoCA as a backhaul network in the home or MDU in addition to Wi-Fi extenders, with MoCA technology built-in for consistent delivery of the multi-gigabit speeds and a secure network experience customers desire. With MoCA, there is no degradation of signal, which is inherent in an all-Wi-Fi networks, as roughly the same speed one achieves at the router can now be delivered at every access point in the home using coaxial cabling and MoCA technology.” The Alliance, which includes a Board of Directors made up of companies such as InCoax, CommScope, MaxLinear, Luster, Verizon, and Cox Communications as well as various network operators as members along with Nokia, is also heavily invested in working with the Broadband Forum on industry projects including the Forum’s recent technical report TR-419. FINAL WORD Kirkpatrtick concludes, “Operators can efficiently serve MDUs and offer future-proof connectivity if they have the most optimal solutions in place and they have the tools to do this cost-effectively and with minimal training. Interest continues to mount globally in regards to how MDUs can be connected as operators recognise the importance of undertaking FTTH deployments into dense housing that will reap the benefits of economic growth.“
Emtelle’s QWKlink blown connectorised ferrule
been working with a number of US operators as they look to execute fibre deployment strategies all the way to the subscriber using cost-effective solutions to accelerate the addressable number of subscribers and provide a shorter time for increased revenue.
fibre-based service distribution in MDUs, the other main contender is fibre over coaxial, as espoused by the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA). This technology is essentially an interface between external fibre and pre-existing, internal coaxial wiring and when it comes to MDUs, it is a very attractive solution. COAX SOLUTION Helge Tiainen, head of Marketing, Sales and Product Management at InCoax says, “While the installation of fibre to multiple households is a far from straightforward process and can be costly and labour-intensive, much of Europe’s population still live in MDUs and therefore having access to unfailing connectivity is paramount. As [most] MDU buildings already have existing coaxial networks, operators now have a viable alternative to installing expensive fibre direct to the premises, that can be a costly venture especially if the take-up rate is low for new services. In MDUs, the coaxial networks can be used in a more innovative way. More recently, in- building TV networks have the potential to be upgraded to support higher frequency spectrums due to the analogue switchover to digital TV services and DOCSIS network spectrum upgrade.” “Reusing the existing in-building infrastructure for broadband access can effectively combat the connectivity complexities that building owners, residents and businesses face,” says Tiainen. Indeed, competition in the broadband market in both Europe and the United States is fuelling the need for fibre to be pushed deeper into the network. The reuse of in-building infrastructure as a coaxial network has become an attractive possibility for service providers looking to minimise infrastructure costs, and InCoax has
Tiainen says, “Last year, InCoax strengthened its North American
presence as we trailed our In:xtnd™ fibre extension product, based on the MoCA 2.5 platform, with a US fibre network operator. Our In:xtnd is ideally suited for small and mid-sized operators in the US market and enables the benefits of fibre to be extended to MDUs that are already wired with coax, and significantly saves operators the cost of re-cabling the premises with fibre.” MOCA MoCA technology is a layer 2 transport protocol enabling the distribution of internet and content over the existing in- home or in-building coaxial TV cabling. The primary job is to guarantee delivery of packets to their destination. MoCA Access™, designed for MDUs as well as Single Family Homes (SFH), also provides 2.5 Gbps MAC rate (not PHY) in a 16-channel format, with latency less than 5 milliseconds. It can be thought of as a network and fibre extension technology that uses the in-building coax for easier installation, as fibre can be terminated at the street or at an exterior entry point to a building reusing existing coaxial cabling for rapid and cost-effective installations. MoCA® has one of the fastest speeds on the market currently and work on accelerating the specification is ongoing. MoCA Access™ networking standards include MoCA Access™ 2.5 and MoCA Home™ 2.5 with MAC data rates up to 2.5 Gbps and next generation MoCA Access 3.0 with MAC data rates up
Colin Kirkpatrick Solutions Director Emtelle
Helge Tiainen Head of Marketing, Sales and Product Management InCoax
Mike Talbert Vice President Multimedia over Coax Alliance
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| ISSUE 25 | Q3 2021
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