TECHNICAL
Strategy Board competition to develop some thoughts on wavelength switching 19 and whilst the full report is fairly extensive, it did highlight some of the challenges within the UK fibre to the home market. The author contends that any introduction of switching wavelengths into the access network will be fibre based (the concept is examined in more depth within the study). One of the outcomes of the study was the need for a single fibre “bit pipe” to avoid the need for multiple fibre access networks into the customer premises 20 . The study introduces two models, as follows: Our First Model FMN constructed a graphical model of the service delivery chain of a generic altnet and applied it to a representative sample of SPs in the UK. Note the FAB and Business Plan “objects” shown within the SP models are to illustrate systems and operational costs, etc., and are likely to be within the backhaul component of the model but are omitted for clarity. Some brief observations in that fibre access networks in the UK may be delivered via:
n An OR product n Another SP access network e.g. VF and City Fibre n An integrated delivery chain e.g. Virgin Media, KCOM, and others
n Within our research 10 FMN
investigated the concept of using WDM-PONs as a future mechanism for the delivery of services on a wavelength basis. This could be implemented with current access network structures, but once again there are potentially duplications of costs and systems. This led FMN in the consideration of a “Neutral Access Network (NAN) 22 ” as a second model and is illustrated below. Network sharing is not new, and the best example of network sharing is the construction of, and the maintenance of, subsea cables. Indeed, such luminaries as CMS (a leading law firm) have published recent thought pieces on the subject and see 23 as an example.
The concept and model are illustrated in graphical format in Figure 5.2 below:
As Figure 5.2 illustrates, the UK currently has a plethora of delivery mechanisms, of which (and hopefully intuitively) cannot be sustained financially. This led to our second model. Our Second Model Initial observations with the ”Islands” model are threefold, viz: n There are likely to be similarities in costs across all ISPs. This may be tested financially, but as any CFO will comment in that containing and reducing costs is paramount n The author further suggests that competing access infrastructures leads to land grab and whilst initially it offers an ISP the opportunity to deliver faster internet speeds, the end user is restricted in choice as to how they switch – see electricity supply as a model. The introduction of the OTS 21 is considered by the author as an intermediate solution to this issue
Figure 5.2: Islands of Access Networks Model
15 The author is indebted to Intercai Mondiale (IML) in the development of the structure of the financial models illustrated in this paper - see www.intercai.co.uk 17 TM Forum -see https://www.tmforum.org/ 18 Robbie Robertson (RIP) speaking at the Last Waltz on the evolution of rock and roll. 19 https://bit.ly/2V0XakI
20 Why would there be a need for multiple fibres if wavelengths are being “switched?” 21 https://totsco.org.uk/ 22 See Reference 2 – worth a read and Bogliolo is to be applauded for developing the concept 23 https://cms.law/en/int/publication/cms-network-sharing-5
DECEMBER 2024 Volume 46 No.4
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