21285 - SCTE Broadband Dec2021 COMPLETE v1

24 Vol. 43 No. 4 - November 2021 Issue on a network. Changes are now required within hours rather than weeks or months, where a new linecard was installed. We have seen that the changing requirements of both services and the subscriber’s calls for a more fluid infrastructure. It is clear that changes to the network need to be rapid and efficient, so that the network can move with the vendors, customers and applications required. Telecoms companies have been rolling 4/5G services out and 5G is reliant on the widespread fibre network. 5G services rely on nano-masts that connect to the internet through a fibre connection. However, the main drawback on 5G is penetration of the signals, as unfortunately the higher the frequency the harder it is for the signal to penetrate buildings. Additionally, objects in the line of sight decrease the penetration. Offenders include trees, moving objects and vehicles, such as trains and buses. 5G services are very much like WiFi services in the home; both suffer with some dead spots from time to time. One solution for all XGS-PON has been the ultimate goal for a number of networks, be it FTT*, HFC or DSL. XGS-PON allows service providers to reach a capacity of 10Gbps and adapt the network as the infrastructure is no longer a constraint. The material is also no longer a logistical dilemma when upgrading, as the network has a more elastic design. PON as a solution is not just one solution but has a number of solutions, these cannot all exist at the same time or just upgrade. PON in itself has a clear advantage with no active components between the transmitter and the home. Driving the need for superfast broadband. The factors below are areas that are driving the need for superfast broadband. These are pushing the requirements many are still in their infancy, where some are the factors pushing the limits up currently. Constant Connectivity. As apps improve and connectedness becomes more attractive to the end user we are using our mobile phones more than ever. We are monitoring the electricity usage of our homes, when the washing machine has finished, who is ringing the doorbell and post-lockdown, we are streaming movies on our journey to work all on our phones, to say nothing of the limitless bounty on offer via Deliveroo and UberEats. Consumer expectation in 2021 is that broadband needs to work constantly and work well. Megabits are not enough. Such constant usage also requires the need for not just megabits but gigabits. Pulling and pushing data are now the same; as mobile phone technology has improved and built-in cameras have rendered digital SLR cameras obsolete, we now create content on the go, taking photographs of our cats and videoing our roast dinners for uploading on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. A few years ago we mainly received data, but now we are also content creators. Seamless connectivity. The mechanics involved in moving from a HFC network onto a wireless 4G network, using the WiFi on public transport, connecting to WiFi6 through a FTT* connection at work: these all require handoffs to the next. This is becoming more of a seamless handoff and with fewer dropouts and failures. The expectation is constant seamless connectivity, the broadband connection is experienced as from the industry PON EPON 10G EPON 10G EPON GPON XG-PON XGS-PON NG-PON2 Upstream (nm) 1310 1270 1270 1260-1360 1260-1280 1260-1280 1524-1544 1525-1540 1532-1540 Downstream (nm) 1490 1577 1577 1480-1500 1575-1580 1575-1580 1596-1603 Video (nm) - - - 1530-1565 1530-1565 - - Splitting Ratio 1:32 1:128 1:128 1:128 1:256 1:256 1:256 Upload (Gbps) 1,25 10 1 1,25 2,5 10 40 Download (Gbps) 1,25 10 10 2,5 10 10 40 Maximum Physical Transmission Distance (km) 20 20 20 60 100 100 40