ANTONY SAVVAS ACCESS ALTERNATIVES
customers in MDUs that lack fibre. MoCA is an easy and cost-effective method to do so. Nokia is clearly committed to helping its customers maximise the reach and revenue potential of their FTTH networks.” THE NOKIA SYSTEM Initial Nokia MoCA systems offered include a one-port indoor/outdoor DPU (data processing unit) serving up to sixteen subscribers, two models of modems that can be self-installed by the consumer, and a passive splitter/ combiner to enable coexistence with legacy services. The Gigabit Connect MoCA technology can deliver a 2Gbps symmetrical subscriber experience with low latency on both point-to-point and point-to-multipoint deployments. It can be managed through a single pane of glass using Nokia’s Altiplano Access Controller platform. FIXED WIRELESS ACCESS Ericsson forecasts there will be over 330m FWA connections by 2029, up from the 130m that were there at the end of 2023. This would represent almost a fifth (18%) of all fixed broadband connections, says Ericsson. Of the 330m connections projected, Ericsson adds that around 85% are expected to be over 5G networks. Analyst IDC says, that by 2026, 75% of enterprises will have assigned all deployment responsibility, operational control, and technology innovation for at least one major network domain to a trusted management partner. Earlier this year, Ericsson unveiled its latest technology to help serve this market, through its subsidiary business unit Cradlepoint. The Cradlepoint X20 5G Router is designed to enable “enterprise-class” fixed wireless access connectivity for small- to medium-sized and home-based businesses, temporary sites, and remote workers. With the Cradlepoint X20, service providers can offer managed services with tiered service packages catering to diverse customer needs, and differentiate themselves in a rapidly expanding market, we are told. The X20 delivers plug-and-play FWA 5G connectivity with
advanced network slicing and security capabilities. Featuring routing, switching, and Wi-Fi 7, the X20 promises “robust, easy-to-maintain connectivity, essential for critical business operations”. “Now, enterprises can quickly deploy high- bandwidth 5G connectivity, with unprecedented reliability enabled by dual-SIM failover capabilities and an 8-hour battery backup,” says Ericsson. “We are enabling service providers to offer highly differentiated FWA solutions to business customers, while monetising their 5G network investments,” says Justin Blair, vice president of carrier business development, Americas, enterprise wireless solutions, Ericsson. “The X20 puts operators in a much better position to support a wide range of business environments.” Chris Melus, vice president of product management at T-Mobile Business Group, adds: “Ericsson’s business FWA solutions play a vital role in enhancing our managed services, such as Connected Workplace, by enabling reliable, highly secure, fast connectivity, with advanced cloud management capabilities. Our collaboration with Ericsson allows us to deliver scalable and flexible business FWA services that seamlessly adapt to the evolving needs of businesses.” DOCSIS DOCSIS is the international telecoms standard that permits the addition of high-bandwidth data transfer over existing cable television systems. The DOCSIS 4.0 standard, recently upgraded from the established DOCSIS 3.1 standard, enables the next generation of broadband connectivity over cable hybrid fibre coax (HFC) networks, delivering multi-gigabit speeds while also supporting high reliability and low latency. DOCSIS 4.0 is designed to support maximum speeds of up to 10 Gbps downstream and up to 6 Gbps upstream – higher down and up speeds than the average, slower commercial fibre speeds commonly offered to users by service providers in shared commercial buildings and individual homes. Evolving applications, such as interactive video conferencing, remote
learning and healthcare, IoT, virtual reality, self-broadcasting, and high- end gaming, increasingly need these high-capacity, down and up speeds that DOCSIS can potentially offer. However, DOCSIS 4.0 is not widely commercially available yet, so potential users may have to wait a while before enjoying the promised benefits. Also, many operators are also thinking about how a 3.1 Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) can take advantage of the bandwidth that’s natively built into new 4.0 modems. The specification of 4.0 says its silicon has to work with a 3.1 system. And there may be opportunities for higher speeds in the future. Broadcom, Charter Communications, and Comcast recently announced a joint development of Unified DOCSIS chipsets for network nodes, smart amps, and cable modems, setting the stage to deliver “upwards of 25 Gbps speeds over existing networks”. Designed for compliance with the existing DOCSIS 4.0 standard, and creating a foundation for the next generation, these technology solutions will enable all operators, through a single and open standard, to gain a speed advantage. “By pushing the benefits of AI and ML [machine learning] to the edge of our network, we are maximising network performance, improving the internet experience, and introducing new and exciting services to support our customers’ incredible appetite for more, higher quality data,” says Charlie Herrin, president, technology and product, connectivity and platforms, at Comcast. “Supporting a single technology that can be used by all operators efficiently, over their existing networks, allows the industry to leverage its collective investment, and to increase the benefits of AI at the edge.” Tried and tested fibre to-the-home may well still be the preferred choice for many organisations, but network vendors and service providers are making sure alternatives continue to be developed in response to cost, technical, and deployment and skills factors in the field, that continually have to be mitigated in a very competitive broadband communications market.
Craig Thomas CEO, Broadband Forum.
Helge Tiainen Business Development Director, InCoax.
Geert Heyninck General Manager, Broadband Access Business Unit, Nokia.
Jeff Heynen Vice President, Broadband Access And Home Networking Dell’Oro.
Justin Blair Vice President, Carrier Business Development Americas, Enterprise Wireless Solutions, Ericsson.
Chris Melus Vice President, Product Management, T-Mobile Business Group.
Charlie Herrin President, Technology and Product, Connectivity and Platforms, Comcast.
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| ISSUE 41 | Q2 2025
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