FTTH Network Infrastructure Environment

The deployment of fibre closer to the subscriber base will require that consideration be given to infrastructure deployment on public and private land, and also within public and private properties. These environments can be broadly split into:

• City

• Open Residential

• Rural

Apartment blocks or MDUs can be considered as part of all the above.

Each environment offers different customer densities (per sq km), and hence different challenges in providing a suitable infrastructure solution.

FTTH site, Environment and Deployment Technology

The main influences for the fibre infrastructure deployment costs will be determined by:

• FTTH environment - as described above

• Size of the FTTH network

• Initial deployment cost of the infrastructure elements (this is part of the overall Capex costs)

• Ongoing costs for network operation and maintenance (part of the overall Opex costs)

• Type of FTTH area e.g. Greenfield, Brownfield, or Overbuild.

• Architecture (PON, P2P,..)

• Local conditions e.g. local labour costs, local authority restrictions (traffic control) and others

The fibre deployment costs can be optimised by using a range of deployment technologies broadly grouped below. 

• Conventional underground duct and cable

• Blown microducts and cable

• Direct buried cable

• Aerial cable

• Other ‘Rights of Way’ solutions

For each environment, the optimal deployment solution will need to be determined by efficient infrastructure network design.

Related Knowledge:

Filter WDM module

Fiber Installation Testing

Three Window FBT Coupler

Embodiment Method of FTTH

The impact of FTTH on society and the environment