THOMAS H. RITZ CABLE SWITCH-OFF
regulatory bodies introduce policies or regulations. In the UK and Europe, legislative and regulatory frameworks have been established to stimulate a smooth transition, fair competition, and protect consumer interests. Governments and regulatory bodies are pushing for the adoption of fibre to increase national broadband speeds and improve digital infrastructure. Providers may receive incentives or face regulatory pressures to upgrade to fibre. In the UK, Ofcom, Project Gigabit, and The Digital Economy Act are encouraging fibre investment and digital infrastructure improvements. The EU Broadband Cost Reduction Directive includes measures such as improved access to existing physical infrastructure and simplified permitting processes to accelerate the switch from coaxial to fibre. Support for broadband and digital infrastructure projects can be found in The European Electronic Communications Code (EECC), the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). Switch-off processes can also have implications for consumers and businesses, including changes in service availability and potential disruptions during the transition. Many customers use equipment (modems, routers, set-top boxes) that are compatible with coaxial connections, which would need to be replaced or upgraded. Existing telecommunications systems and services, such as older landline telephones, alarm systems, and broadcast services, may be designed to work over copper networks. Integrating legacy systems with a new fibre network can require additional adapters, converters, or complete system overhauls. Switching off the coaxial part requires extending the fibre closer to or into the user’s premises, which can be logistically complex and costly, especially in densely populated urban areas or in buildings not originally designed for fibre. Transitioning to FTTH requires upfront investment including laying fibre cables and installing compatible equipment at customer premises. Replacing existing copper or coaxial connections with fibre can be logistically complex and costly, especially in densely populated urban areas or remote rural locations. FTTH deployment often involves navigating complex regulatory environments and obtaining numerous permits, which can delay projects and increase costs. Service providers might need to upgrade or expand FTTH infrastructure to accommodate increased demand and ensure that their networks can
handle higher data loads, especially during peak usage times. The switch-off may involve significant challenges, including physical removal or repurposing of existing lines, and retraining technical staff. Removal of coaxial cables needs to be managed carefully to minimize environmental impact. PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS WHEN REPLACING COAX WITH FIBRE Replacing legacy coax cabling with fibre cabling - especially in multiple occupancy buildings in the UK - can bring about quite a few challenges. It’s important to realise during design and installation that coaxial cabling, being more flexible and having a smaller bend radius, can navigate paths that fibre might not be able to follow without risking damage or signal loss. Removing coax can require opening up parts of a building, especially in older structures where cables were run through walls, under floors, or above ceilings. Potentially hazardous materials such as asbestos require specialist handling. Apart from broadband and cable TV, several UK providers currently offer other services over coax, sometimes as part of a bundle with TV and internet services. For example: CCTV, broadcast/audio, radio, broadband RF distribution, or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). In home and professional environments, it’s vital to have a ‘backup’ service in place before removing legacy physical infrastructure. This backup service has to be guaranteed to work with, for example, existing building systems. Upgrading from coax to fibre cabling in multiple occupancy buildings may require adherence to specific building regulations and standards in the UK, such as the Building Regulations 2010. This covers fire safety and structural integrity. Permissions may also be needed from local authorities, building owners, or management companies. For listed buildings or structures in conservation areas, there are strict controls on the types of alterations that can be made. In densely populated or older buildings, physical access for installing new cabling and -especially - hardware required for fibre networks can be challenging. There may be limited space in existing ducts or conduits, as bulky additional equipment needs to be introduced alongside the fibre cabling. Drilling or other modifications may be necessary, which could be disruptive to residents. Gaining access to all the areas where coax cables are run can be challenging, especially in
occupied buildings. Coax cables often run close to or are intertwined with other building systems like electrical wiring or plumbing. There’s a risk of accidentally damaging these systems during removal. Technicians may need to be trained in handling fibre, which is significantly more delicate than coaxial. Splicing, ensuring signal integrity, and managing reflections require a level of expertise that wasn’t necessary with coaxial installations. Although fibre optic cables are less prone to electromagnetic interference than coaxial cables, there may be a transitional period during which both systems are operational. This could lead to crosstalk or interference issues. Finally, coax cables contain metals and potentially hazardous substances, so proper disposal of removed cabling is necessary to comply with environmental regulations. IN SHORT… The need to move away from coaxial cabling is driven by the demand for higher bandwidth, greater reliability, scalability, cost-effectiveness in the long term, and the ability to support emerging and future internet applications and services. Coaxial cables, while capable of delivering broadband speeds, have inherent limitations in bandwidth compared to fibre optics, which can offer significantly higher speeds and capacity. In many traditional coaxial cable setups, especially those using older infrastructure, bandwidth is shared among multiple users in a locality. This can lead to network congestion during peak usage times, resulting in slower speeds and less reliable service. There’s also a practical limit to how much the capacity of existing coaxial cables can be upgraded. Increased bandwidth and speed following switch-off allows for better quality services as well as fewer outages and a more reliable service for end-users. As consumers move away from traditional cable services, there is likely to be an increase in demand for a broader range of services, including high-definition television, ultra-high- speed internet, and advanced telephony services. FTTH providers can diversify their service offerings. Beyond providing an internet connection, they could bundle services like VoD (Video on Demand), IPTV, and smart home services. Providers can even focus on enhancing quality of service or supporting specific applications to differentiate themselves from competitors and cater to tech-savvy customers.
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ISSUE 37 | Q2 2024
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