Re: Muni fiber: L1 or L2?

[Edward Dore <edward.dore () freethought-internet co uk>]

On 14 Feb 2013, at 01:13, Masataka Ohta wrote:

> Edward Dore wrote:
>
> > Sadly, despite this being challenged with both the telecoms
> > regulator (Ofcom) and advertising watchdog (ASA), for some
> > reason both seem pretty happy with the utter farce that is
> > advertising BT/OpenReach's VDSL based Fibre To The Cabinet
> > and Virgin Media's Hybrid Fibre Coax networks as "fibre
> > optic broadband".
>
> Sadly, it is impossible to say FTTC not "fiber optic broadband",
> because it is "broadband" (at least with today's access speed)
> with "fiber optic".

Then why would you not also consider bog standard ADSL to also be "fibre optic"?

> > We were supposed to be getting FTTP where I live last March,
> > but for some reason BT silently scrapped that plan and now we
> > are getting FTTC this March apparently...
>
> Obviously because it makes L1 unbundling difficult.

With BT/OpenReach's FTTC and FTTP there's no difference in terms of layer 1 unbundling - it's impossible with either as 
they are both shared mediums aggregated before the exchange.

FTTC is fibre from the local exchange to the street cabinet where there is a VDSL DSLAM feeding the last part of the 
copper loop through to the property. This provides up to 80Mbps down and 20Mbps up.

FTTP is GPON from the exchange right through to the property completely independent of the existing copper loop. 
Currently this provides up to 330Mbps down and 30Mbps up.

There is also an "FTTP on-demenad" option where if you are in a FTTC area then you basically pay for BT/OpenReach to 
extend the fibre to your property and provide the FTTP service. This is expensive though as you foot all of the excess 
construction charges. Apparently the average cost is going to be around £1500.

In either case, OpenReach are required to provide "open" access at the exchange to any companies wishing to make use of 
the local infrastructure and provide competing services to BT. Pricing for this is controlled by the regulator, Ofcom. 
Both FTTC and FTTP are provided as VLANs over gigabit Ethernet interconnections in the Exchange


BT/OpenReach is doing a large FTTC deployment across the UK (two thirds of the properties by spring next year I 
believe), and are starting to roll out FTTP in some areas having been conducting trials since early 2010. I believe 
that the deployed BT/OpenReach FTT* footprint now covers approximately 13 million properties.

The area where I live was one of those listed as getting FTTP last March, but then that was silently scrapped at the 
last minute for some reason never specified and now they are starting to roll out FTTC to us for this March (only 
recently announced).

It does seem that they are actually doing it this time at least, as the new street cabinets have started appearing and 
pavements are being dug up, but it's obviously disappointing that we were switched from FTTP to FTTC along with a 
year's delay. The rest of the city was always supposed to be FTTC and that was rolled out successfully last March.

Edward Dore
Freethought Internet