Fiber - Indexing - A - Cost - Optimizing Desbalanceada

FTTH Architecture White Paper Series
Fiber Indexing: A Cost-Optimized Approach To FTTH Networks

The Economics of Fiber
Over a decade has passed since the first FTTH network deployments, yet the cost of building
a network remains the primary obstacle to ubiquitous fiber connectivity for every household.
Consumers can buy bigger TV screens with more pixels, smarter smartphones, lighter and more
powerful laptops - with prices falling year after year. Fiber optic networks have not followed the
same cost trajectory: from 2005 to 2015, the cost per home passed dropped from $1,021 to
just under $700 [1]. Why does Moore's Law apply to transistor density and disk storage capacity,
but not to FTTH?
Building an outside plant fiber network is a labor intensive undertaking. Construction, civil works
engineering, obtaining permits and right-of-ways account for roughly two-thirds (67%) of the total
cost, while the equipment accounts for one-third. While GPON and fiber equipment costs have
indeed fallen, skilled labor rates have risen. Any attempt to take costs out of the network needs to
look closely at reducing labor costs.
Fiber Indexing: Simplifying The FTTH Network Architecture

Fiber indexing has the potential to reduce construction and civil works costs in the distribution
network by 70% - and in the process, significantly reduce deployment times and speed up time-
to-market. Table 1 compares Fiber Indexing with today's typical deployment model in a suburban
network (see figure 1). One key savings lies in the length of cable needed, made possible by
changing the network topology and consolidating the functions of multiple network elements into
the service terminal.
Critera Today Fiber Indexing Benefits of Indexing
Fiber distribution hub Serves -240 homes Serves -240 homes —
10-15 minutes to plug in cables

Fiber connections at the fiber Pre-connectorized
Spliced compared to over 4 hours for splicing
distribution hub cables to the terminals
individual fibers
Network topology from fiber distribution Standardized lengths of cables

Star (hub and spoke) Daisy-chain
hub to service terminal simplifies logistics
70% reduction in cable

Total cable length from hub to service
20,025 feet 5,530 feet laying costs and conduit
terminal - see figure 1
space required
Functions of network elements are

Fan-out (breaks out a single 8-fiber Fan-out, splitter, and
Service terminal functionality redistributed to support indexing (no
cable to individual ports) pass-through
net benefit)
Drop cable from terminal to the home Single hardened drop cable Single hardened drop cable
Table 1: The difference with Fiber Indexing
2
Figure 1A: Typical fiber distribution network today for a hub serving -240 homes. Individual cables are laid from the hub to each terminal
(blue circles) in a star topology. Each terminal services up to 8 homes
Figure 1B: Fiber Indexing uses a linear daisy-chain topology, with terminals that perform multiple functions
3
How Indexing Works
Fiber indexing is a novel approach that uses connectorized cables and terminals, and allows
installers to use a cookie-cutter approach to build out the network. The exact same components
are "daisy-chained" together, limiting the need for custom cable assemblies or splicing. The basic
building block, which is repeated throughout the service area, includes a terminal, with a built-in
splitter, hardened 12-fiber inputs and outputs, and 8 hardened drops to the homes.
The indexing begins with a 12-fiber cable entering the first terminal. In the terminal, fiber 1 is
routed to a splitter for servicing local customers and the remaining fibers are "indexed" or moved
up as they exit the terminal to connect to the next terminal. Indexing means that the second fiber
entering the terminal will exit as the first fiber to enter the next terminal, and so on in a daisy-
chained fashion.
The terminal use Rapid Fiber cable spool technology to eliminate the need to store excess
fiber. This technology allows any amount of fiber cable to be pulled from the spool back to the
previous terminal without the need to cut specific lengths. All the remaining cable is simply left on
the spool, allowing fast and easy daisy-chaining of the indexing terminals.
Traditional cascaded architectures require different terminals with different fiber lengths that require
complex planning, whereas fiber indexing uses a single configuration throughout the network.
There are several variations of this architecture, so it meets the requirements of many deployment
scenarios. By using the same components over and over throughout the network, along with less
overall fiber, the network can be installed faster and with lower overall installation costs.
Figure 6: Fiber Indexing terminals all have the

Figure 5: Fiber Indexing architecture (daisy-chained)
same configuration, which speeds up installation
Conclusion
CommScope has comprehensive and in-depth experience in designing, implementing, and maintaining fiber and FTTH networks around the world. The
FTTH Architecture Series is a complete set of white papers that explore the key issues and decision criteria for building best-in-class FTTH networks.
For more information, please visit www.commscope.com.
Note
1. Data from Verizon FiOS Briefing Session, September 27, 2006 and news reports.
www.commscope.com
Visit our website or contact your local CommScope representative for more information.
' 2016 CommScope, Inc. All rights reserved.

Rapid Fiber and all trademarks identified by fi or are registered trademarks or trademarks, respectively, of CommScope, Inc.
This document is for planning purposes only and is not intended to modify or supplement any specifications or warranties relating to CommScope products or services.
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FTTH Architecture White Paper Series

Fiber Indexing: A Cost-Optimized Approach To FTTH Networks

Fiber Indexing: Simplifying The FTTH Network Architecture

Critera Today Fiber Indexing Benefits of Indexing

Fiber distribution hub Serves -240 homes Serves -240 homes —

10-15 minutes to plug in cables

Network topology from fiber distribution Standardized lengths of cables

70% reduction in cable

Functions of network elements are

Table 1: The difference with Fiber Indexing

Figure 6: Fiber Indexing terminals all have the

' 2016 CommScope, Inc. All rights reserved.

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