Leveraging Existing Building Cabling Infrastructure to Meet the Needs of FTTH/FTTP Rollout in MDUs Mathew Cook, RCDD,OSP Stephen Cumminger, P.Eng, MBA
Bell Aliant s Service Territory YT NT NU BC AB SK MB You are Here! Ontario (regional) ON Quebec (regional) QC NB NL PEI NS Nova Scotia New Brunswick Newfoundland Prince Edward Island Third largest Telco in Canada Operates in six provinces Ontario & Quebec territory shared with Bell Canada Population served: 5.3 million NAS : 2.9 million Employees: 8,000 Revenue : $3 billion High Speed Internet Footprint: 80% High Speed Internet Customers : 830K 2010 FTTH Footprint : 140K 2011 FTTH Footprint : 460K
Agenda Introduction What are we going to talk about? Challenges we faced What were we trying to accomplish Why was this difficult? Techniques we used to overcome these challenges By situation Questions?
Introduction Bell Aliant s FibreOP service requires fibers to be brought to each unit of a multi-tenant building. This fiber originates at one of our Central Offices and terminates at a customer s unit. 1x32 optical Splitters are in the optical path at the appropriate point (within the MTU or in the local Fiber Serving Area) We use the generic term MTU Multi Tenant Unit that includes both Residential and Business customers; each with their own challenges. We allocate sufficient fibers in the FTTH footprint area to service a building, but we don t provision an MTU building immediately. There are separate processes used to determine when and if a particular building is provisioned with fiber Cost and relationships with Building Owners is key
Fibre to the Home (FTTH) Key Network Components PON Passive Optical Network Central Office (CO) VoIP IPTV HSI Ethernet Switch PON OLT Fibre Feeder Optical Wavelengths 1490nm 1310nm Central Splitting Point (CSP) Distribution Fibre Fibre Drop ONT Optical Network Terminal Tel PC TV ONT Power Supply Central Office PON OLT (Optical Line Terminal) The OLT interfaces with our core IP network to deliver voice, data and TV services to our customers optically via the FTTH network Central Splitting Point (CSP) A compact pole mounted box housing optical splitters which enables a single feeder fibre to serve multiple customers Distribution fibre Cable Plant Fully connectorized fibre access network which enables quick installation of fibre drops to a customer s home. The distribution fibres are assembled per our specifications with all fibre breakouts spliced and tested in the factory Optical Network Terminal (ONT) Small interior or exterior box with a separate power supply mounted indoors (integrated battery for power back-up for approximately 8 hours)
Challenges Greenfield. Few problems except: Finding the best way to deploy fiber using the Electrical Contractor for the building. What part do they do, what part does another contractor do. What contractual and financial agreements are required. We don t want a Greenfield Building to become a Brownfield Building by accident or mismanagement.
Challenges Business aspect: Cost per unit passed is very important. Only the lowest cost projects get funded. Bell Aliant has not requested funding assistance from Building Owners yet. Building Access Some Building Owners have relationships with other competing providers and are not motivated to accept fiber placed into their building. Aesthetics What Building Owners consider acceptable with respect to: What technical solutions would look like when the work is done Disruption to tenants, varies greatly among Building Owners.
This Building Owner had very specific requirements
Challenges Brownfield Technical Challenges Can we get fiber to every unit in the building? It is a rare occurrence to find that reusable pathways exist from the building s entrance all the way to the individual units; with the last leg to the unit being the most problematic. We always recommend them, but it is always something seen as a luxury to the Building Owner; so it gets cut. Today we see Greenfields being built with only wall cavity support for cables/wires; no pathway. For Brownfields, getting fiber to the unit from a place where you can collect many of them (MTR, Satellite Closet ) is THE technical challenge.
MDU Demographic Slide Stats about %Townhouses, MDUs, Greenfield Brownfield % Townhouses, MDU Greenfield 10% of Brownfield
Other Useful Stats for Bell Aliant FibreOp MDU program started 3 rd quarter 2010 Currently running projects in 8 cities through the 4 Atlantic Provinces Total MDU units passed for 2011 was 7719 This equated to approximately 180 MDU s Average size of MDU in the Atlantic Provinces is 42 units The FibreOp MDU program includes builds in new buildings and existing buildings
Some Learning's Common to all Challenges Products used need to be durable and easy to install Better to have more rugged fiber cabling with appropriate fire/smoke ratings than need to place conduit to protect them. CSP s need to be designed to allow multiple termination options (one box, multiple termination options within) Best not to have specific products for splicing and terminating abilities as the requirement could change during the build, or by floor. Utilize existing building infrastructure where possible Aesthetics and acceptance by the customer is essential Our fiber builds go just outside Brownfield Units. Need to get Building Owner approval for inside wiring methods intended prior to provisioning the building. Homerun design versus Riser Consolidation point design is a key decision point to every build.
Products Need to be Durable and Easy to Install Early Thoughts Today
CSP s need to be designed to allow multiple termination options (one box, multiple termination options within) Early Attempts Today Can only splice distribution legs In this CSP Can splice of field terminate On connectors in this CSP
Utilize existing building infrastructure where possible Example of using existing pathway containing copper based infrastructure.
Aesthetics and acceptance by the customer is essential
Aesthetics and acceptance by the customer is essential
Homerun design versus Riser Consolidation point design Early Attempts Today s Preference Dual Hallway Multi-Drop(6F) Runs Each Wing ONT FDT ONT FDT ONT FDT Feeder CSP Distribution
Brownfield Technical Challenges Running Fiber from the units to aggregation points is the most difficult and expensive part of a build. We ll show you some options that we have used that work in some types of buildings We did find that some buildings had sufficient infrastructure already to handle our FibreOP services. Where Cat5e or Cat6 cabling existed from the units to aggregation points. (Assuming 90m maximum loop length) This cabling can handle up to 1000Mb/s data speed which is foreseen to address our service needs for up to 5 years. Current speed offerings are 30-150Mb/s. If we need to come back in 5 years and place fiber, it is still more economic than placing fiber now; if the existing infrastructure can be leveraged. This is our Option #1 for Brownfields
MTU Design using Existing Cat5e Wiring (Rack-mounted Splitter) FD101, 145-240 FNAP-96EW4 Feeder Fiber Patched to each splitter shelf s Feeder Input connector on Patch Panel Optical Patch Chord CAT 5e Patch Chord CCS-1U FSC-1N-32-Sa-B ONT/UPS Shelf To units FSC-1N-32-Sa-B ONT Cat5e Terminations ONT installed as part of the Service Order FSA 115a 52 Parkland Deploy sufficient Fiber Splitter Patch Panels for initial demand, leaving space on equipment rack for ultimate number.
MTU Design using Existing Cat5e Wiring (Rack-mounted Splitter) Brownfield Option #1: If each unit is equipped with 2 Cat5E back to a common aggregation point which is within 90m, use it. Consolidate ONT s in MTR where Cat5E are demarc d RG will be placed in unit using existing Cat5E which has been proved to 1 Gig. Shelves to house ONT s and UPS Power Bar Fiber Splitter Fiber Splitter Proven Cat5E to Units Shelves to house ONT s and UPS Patch panel of Cat5e pigtails back to Cat5E Demarc drops to unit
MTU Design using Existing Cat5e Wiring (Rack-mounted Splitter) Cat5E pigtails to rack Existing Cat5E to Units
Design Options from the CSP to the Unit If new pathways are required (Brownfield), Option 2: If common hallways exist with drop ceiling (t-bar or Gyproc suspended below actual ceiling) Run single fiber drops in that space from CSP to each fiber designation point in each unit Hatch cut in suspended gyproc ceiling Fiber Point of Entry box into unit All Fiber and Point of Entry boxes are above T- bar ceiling
Design Options from the CSP to the Unit If new pathways are required (Brownfield), Option 3: If drop ceilings do not exist, but access is possible into attic or basement space and utility rooms are stacked Access basement or attic and run multiple single drops through utility space in pathway duct and drop off a fiber to each unit along the way Within units, wiring will be demarked in utility rooms Works best in Rental units, not in Condos Duct from MTR to attic containing individual Fibers Fiber from the attic space ran down through the stacked electrical rooms
Design Options from the CSP to the Unit If new pathways are required (Brownfield), Option 4: If options 1-3 are not possible but you do have common hallways, the 3M One-Pass solution would be your option. 3M One-Pass can be run along the hallway with a fiber dropped off at each unit, best location determined by MDU design plans and demark location within the unit.
Design Options within the MDU unit Fiber placement options are: Option 1: Fiber should be placed where the in unit cabling demarks within the unit. Typically this is in the utility room. Media Panel
Design Options within the MDU unit Fiber placement options are: Option 2: Fiber is to be placed in the living room at the television location (i.e. desktop solution). This becomes the unit s new demark/aggregation point.
Questions and Open Discussion???