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some of the most advanced technologies are being deployed in small towns. here’s why.
By M.J. Richter
A few years ago, most Independent Operating Companies (IOCs) IOCs and municipalities were the first to deploy FTTH, in some
realized that long-term success in a technology-driven market would cases three years ahead of the larger RBOCs. Small IOCs, especially
depend at least in part on their ability to deploy broadband-access co-ops, are leading the way in transitioning to FTTH, driven by the
networks. Pulled by customers’ demands for more bandwidth and subscriber/owners’ desire to reverse the digital divide in America.”
pushed by growing competition from cable TV operators, many
IOCs subsequently decided to build networks that could deliver In the Driver’s Seat
the all-important triple play of video, data and voice services,
IOCs across the United States are in the vanguard of domestic FTTH
particularly HDTV, IPTV and VoD.
deployments, with many of them opting for GPON technology to
power those networks. That begs the question, are FTTH deploy-
Having answered that call, IOCs and other triple-play service ments driving IOC selection of GPON technology, or does GPON
providers now look to leverage those initial investments while technology drive IOC decisions to deploy FTTH networks? Savage
planning for future offerings. Their challenge, at its core, is to both said the answer is “a little bit of yin and yang.”
plan ahead for tomorrow’s end-user needs and make the right
underlying technology choices to flexibly meet those demands.
“Service providers see the large majority of networks being deployed
are PON-based and think, ‘If it’s good for those providers, it must
Reversing the Digital Divide be good for us,’” Savage explained. “In many cases, because of
The success of the IOCs’ access-network strategies is already subscriber density, the savings provided by PON systems in optical
apparent in the communications infrastructures of many of the fiber and cable drive the technology choice to PON. And with GPON
United States’ smaller cities, towns and rural areas. Collectively, available today, most service providers go with the latest, rather than
those geographic regions make up one of the fastest growing deploy BPON and know they will be upgrading in a few years to
sectors of the domestic broadband marketplace. GPON anyway.”
Joe Savage, president of the FTTH Council, points out that Tier-3 Service provider demand for more bandwidth appears to be insatiable.
IOCs and telephone cooperatives — with nearly 6 percent of all
their access lines now FTTH connections — are often leaders “If 10-Gbps GPON were available today, I believe that is what the
when it comes to providing customers with broadband access. technology service providers would deploy,” Savage said. “As GPON
volume goes up, service providers recognize there is safety in num-
“Of course, the RBOCs lead in total number of subscribers, with bers, and prices will continue to decline.”
nearly 70 percent of all FTTH subscribers,” Savage said. “[But]
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