FTTH-Based Broadband Access Technologies: Key Parameters for Cost Optimized Network Planning

There are a number of technical, economic, and business drivers that impact the selection of the right fiber to the home (FTTH) technology for an operator to deploy. We focus on an optimized total cost of ownership (TCO) network model to evaluate different technology choices for greenfield and brownfield deployment for both incumbent telcos and cable operators. In a network model with a large number of parameters it is often challenging to identify the key parameters that are critical to the decision making. An operator runs the risk of choosing a less than optimum technology strategy if any of these key parameters are not identified and cost optimized. We present the results obtained by network modeling the capital investments and operations expenses for some typical operator scenarios covering Gigabit passive optical network (GPON) and point-to-point/active Ethernet technologies. Our analysis specifically accounts for scenarios with government un-bundling regulations on fiber We use sensitivity analysis tools such as Tornado and Monte Carlo analysis to identify these key parameters and any zones of advantages. (C) 2010 Alcatel-Lucent.