In reply to a post by Ribble:

Would be of no use as there no current or prospective future product/ service which can connect to in this manner. FTTP on demand may be a possibility in the near to medium future but the fibre will not terminate in the cabinet anyway.

From this news article:

...a BT spokesman offered this explanation:

When we install a 'head-end' in an exchange, we use an FTTX head-end, which can support both FTTC and FTTP. In the majority of cases the bulk of the network deployment will be FTTC, as this allows greater numbers of people to receive fibre speeds and is therefore generally the most economically viable.

However, we would expect that more exchange areas will see a mix of the two technologies being used over the coming couple of years, as we start to roll out FTTP solutions to MDUs [multiple domicile units] (apartment blocks) and then, from next year, to individual premises who request it via FTTP on Demand.

Does that not contradict what you are saying? If FTTP fibre does not terminate in the cabinet, where does it terminate? Another sort of local hub?

Edited by deleted (Thu 29-Nov-12 16:12:46)

Head end is the exchange handover node, which you can see in http://blog.thinkbroadband.com/2012/11/spotters-guid... if you decode the labels you might even spot where it is a PCP, or FTTP or FTTP on Demand, The exchange in question serves all three variations.

FTTP on Demand - as it is part of the trial areas.
FTTP on Demand is only needing the FTTC as a pre-requisite because it means the GPON network is in the local area, and can be connected to via the fibre splitters.

http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/products/super-... has more including a graphic showing how it will work.

It seems to me to be pointless laying fibre under your drive... someone is going to need to splice to it at some point, in which case they'd have to dig it up again. And you'd have to make sure it was an exactly compatible type. In fact... I'm not sure BT would want to put a splice there. Isn't that why they're installing manifolds & splitters, to control the places where splices are done?

If you wanted to put *anything* underground, the best bet would be ducting of the right format - so that BT can do whatever they need to with blowing the fibre... but even that is only of use if you can joint it directly to BT's ducting, or accept that it might need to be dug up again anyway.

And all that assumes that
a) You don't already have ducting towards BT
b) That BT will be sending the drop links via ducting rather than overground - no point installing ducts if the manifolds are 30' in the air!

You obviously know about Openreach's "new build" sections. Have you seen their Developer's Guide?

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

FTTP on Demand is only needing the FTTC as a pre-requisite because it means the GPON network is in the local area, and can be connected to via the fibre splitters.

Does the fibre supplying FTTC cabinets work as an integral part of the GPON network, or is it just that the fibre for GPON is being laid (at least in part) at the same time as the fibre to the FTTC cabinets?

FTTC cabinet fibre is part of the GPON network, Openreach has plenty of simple maps showing the fibre/node/splitter arrangements.

The architecture diagrams (kinda maps) that I've seen show the architecture to be the same only as far as the aggregation nodes. After that, the FTTC architecture has nothing of the splitters or the manifolds.

The FTTC architecture does have "tube intercept joints" which look to be a very limited connection points - almost a way to join the ducting (and keep blown fibre possible) rather than a way to join the fibre itself.

From what I've seen, I'd expect to see FTTC cabinets being connected *through* the splitter nodes if it were really part of the GPON. Without that, aren't they just being co-located (not that that is a bad thing, mind).

By not being too integrated if FTTP does prove the total hit predicted from future gazers then removing cabinets in 15 years is something that may happen.

One issue is there may be resistance to the removal of the copper loop by those who prefer the simplicity of copper telephony.

Yes, morse code over copper has a lot to be said for it.

You are not real going togain a lot anyway if the cabinet is outside your door almost FTTC will give you almost the same as FTTP