THOMAS H. RITZ CABLE SWITCH-OFF
CABLE SWITCH-OFF IN PUBLIC NETWORKS: DRIVERS, BENEFITS, AND CONSIDERATIONS
One of the hottest topics at the moment is the impending switch- off of copper networks in favour of fibre technology. However, given that much of Europe and North America has hitherto relied on coax networks for broadband and television services, cable switch-off presents very different challenges, as Dipl.-Ing. Thomas H. Ritz , MBA, Market Manager, Public Networks at R&M explains.
T ransition from legacy networks to fibre-optic broadband technologies increasingly involves ‘cable switch-off’ - transitioning from coaxial or older cable technologies to more advanced systems. For years, coaxial networks were widely used to deliver cable TV and broadband. Although capable of high data speeds they are not as fast as fibre-optic technology. It’s worth pointing out that the terms “cable switch-off” and “copper switch-off” aren’t interchangeable. Cable switch-off involves replacing coaxial or other types of older cable technologies, whereas copper switch- off is specifically about moving away from copper wire networks. Copper wires have been the backbone of telephone and internet services for decades, utilizing technologies like DSL to provide broadband. Copper networks are generally older, much more limited in bandwidth and more susceptible to environmental factors which can degrade signal quality. Primary driver for cable switch- off is the need for higher bandwidth
and speed. This is the result of increasing demand for bandwidth- intensive applications such as HD content streaming, cloud, and online gaming. Fibre networks also offer better reliability, lower long-term maintenance costs, and support for high symmetric upload and download speeds.
meters to maintain signal quality, whereas fibre signals can travel much longer distances without significant degradation. Compared to coaxial, fibre is less susceptible to electromagnetic and radio-frequency interference, interception, and tampering - vital for cloud applications where data security and privacy are paramount. Fibre networks can be scaled up to meet growing demands without replacing the underlying infrastructure. This is critical for cloud applications and services, which are experiencing exponential growth in data consumption and user base, as well as developments such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), telemedicine, real-time data analytics, Internet of Things (IoT) and the shift from HD to 4K and even 8K video streaming. MANAGING THE CHALLENGES Overall, the cable switch-off can significantly impact FTTH networks, driving growth and innovation but it also presents challenges that need to be managed by providers and regulators. There may be regulatory implications as governments and
THE BENEFITS OF FIBRE VS COAXIAL
Fibre networks offer advantages in terms of speed and data transfer as well as lower latency. This means a smoother, more responsive experience for video meetings, working with applications in the cloud, streaming, and online gaming, for example. Coaxial cables’ maximum speed is limited to a few hundred Mb/s, while fibre can reach several Tb/s (Terabits per second) with 1 Gb/s common in many residential fibre connections. Compared to coaxial, fibre can support more users and bandwidth- intensive services such as video and VOIP without performance loss. Coaxial cables typically require signal boosters or repeaters for every few hundred
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| ISSUE 37 | Q2 2024
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