In addition to deploying the fiber up to the end user (FTTH solution), this can be achieved either by deploying the optical fiber up to the residential quarter (the curb) or by deploying the optical fiber up to the block of flats (the building).
The Next Generation Access solution is composed of Fiber To The Curb (FTTC) and Fiber To The Building (FTTB) solutions, where fiber is deployed up to an outdoor shelter (FTTC solution) or an indoor shelter (FTTB solution). From the CAPEX point of view the Next Generation Access solution provides high-bandwidth broadband interfaces to end users in the most cost-effective way.
The solution provides a bandwidth of up to 100 Mbit/s to the end user by using the existing copper-pair access infrastructure in the last few hundred meters, thus avoiding additional costs.
Access systems that are located remotely in indoor or outdoor shelters are therefore becoming increasingly necessary and popular.
Benefits
- High bandwidth to the end user - up to 100 Mbit/s
- Reuse of the existing copper-pair access infrastructure over the last few hundred meters
- Professional, carrier-grade, plug-and-play shelter solution, with integrated power-supply system, batteries, distribution frame (ODF and MDF), splitters and protection
- Easy upgrades with various access technologies (Fiber, Wimax, POTS)
- Support for Wholesale and Open Access network models Full triple-play services support on all broadband ports simultaneously
- Advanced QoS, multicast and security features embedded in the solution
- State-of-the-art Home Gateways for full end-to-end triple-play support
- Various shelter types supported 24-hr lifeline service support
- Minimum installation costs due to the plug-and-play solution.
The carrier's wish to introduce optical fiber into access networks is driven mainly by two factors:
- carriers are realizing that their original copper networks cannot anymore supply today’s and tomorrow’s high-bandwidth requirements over longer distances,
- deploying fiber up to the end customer (FTTH solution) is, for many operators, still too costly a solution, and therefore they want to reuse the existing copper-pair access infrastructure as much as possible,
- VDSL2, ADSL2+ (for max. bandwidths) and electrical Ethernet interfaces have a relatively short range, so the ability to deploy telecommunications equipment as close to the subscribers as possible, but still in a well-protected environment (shelter), is a must (if operators do not consider the FTTH solution)
The Next Generation Access solution overcomes the distance limitations of VDSL2, ADSL2+ at its maximum bandwidth and electrical Ethernet interfaces, and allows the network operator to deploy up to 100 Mbit/s bandwidth to the majority of end users via the existing copper-pair access infrastructure. The Next Generation Access solution has all the benefits and characteristics of the DSL Access solution, but due to fact that equipment is installed in the vicinity of the subscribers, bandwidths of up to 100 Mbit/s can be provided.
The main characteristic of the Next Generation Access solution (FTTC/FTTB) is that the SI3000 access product (SI3000 DSL Access or SI3000 MSAN) is installed in the shelter. The following shelters are supported:
- ODU-M – medium-size outdoor shelter for the FTTC solution,
- ODU-S – small-size outdoor shelter for the FTTC solution,
- IDU-M – medium-size indoor shelter for the FTTB solution.
Shelters are available as a completely pre-equipped and pre-tested plug-and-play solution, with a complete telecommunications infrastructure (power supply, batteries, distribution frame) needed for the carrier-grade telco environment. The shelters can be locally powered or can be powered remotely by the Remote Power-Supply System. The special function Selective Power Control supported within the SI3000 MSAN provides the ability to power POTS interfaces inside the SI3000 MSAN for up to 24 hr from the backup batteries. This is achieved via a selective switch-off of the power-wasteful broadband ports, thus using the battery power only to power the narrowband POTS ports. Outdoor shelters can operate in practically any environmental conditions, from -50 degrees Celsius up to +50 degrees Celsius, while indoor shelters operate in a weather-protected environment. The installation of any SI3000 access product in an indoor or outdoor shelter allows the network operator to provide bandwidths up to 100 Mbit/s, with all the advanced security and QoS features, Wholesale and Open Access support, full triple-play support, etc., already provided within the DSL Access solution. The installation requires minimum effort and expense due to the plug-and-play concept of the Next Generation Access solution. All that is needed is to connect the power cables, the optical uplink cable and the subscribers‘ copper pairs.