Fibre Optic (FTTC & FTTP) Vs Cable Broadband

The word broadband is used to describe a fast permanent connection used to access the internet. It can be delivered via cable, satellite, mobile or ADSL. Initially, internet used to be accessed by dial-up and a modem. A modem is a piece of hardware capable of converting computer signals so they can travel in a telephone line and back again. One can think of a modem as a gadget that has the capacity to translate between two languages. Using the dial-up connection was very slow and it tied up the telephone line. One can imagine the dial-up to be like a country lane, while broadband is more like a motorway. So instead of being narrow, it is more broad, therefore “broadband.”

ADSL

ADSL requires the use of a router or (modem) and microfilters that eliminate the hissing sounds of the broadband from a telephone line. A modem is like a self-sustained computer that hooks up the computer network to the internet service provider (ISP). ADSL comes into private homes or buildings via the local telephone exchange through the standard copper telephone wires. The router (modem) and the microfilter plugs into the telephone socket and the computer will connect with the modem.

CABLE

A limited number of cable TV companies offer internet through their wiring system. This system is in part made of more advanced fibre-optic cables, instead of the old copper wires. The fibre optic wiring allows signals to travel much faster, thus allowing for much faster download speeds. An added advantage of cable is that it allows audio and visual signals to be transmitted, which allows one to get both landline and digital TV to be accessed from the broadband service provider. The only problem is that it is not very widely available. It can only be supplied where the cable company has laid down the wires.

British Telecommunications and other operators are making major upgrades and replacing the old copper cables with ones using optical fibre. These cables are able to carry more data at higher speeds with less interference and being marketed to homes and businesses as the “next-generation broadband.” There are basically two types of fibre optic broadband connections available.

FIBRE TO THE CABINET (FTTC)

The FTTC connection runs fibre optic cables from a telephone exchange or some distribution point to the different street cabinets. Connections for broadband are then provided from the street cabinets to homes or businesses via a regular telephone line. This combination of copper/fibre cable that uses VDSL or similar technology is capable of providing much faster internet speeds, as compared to the traditional connections.

FIBRE TO THE HOME/PREMISES (FTTH OR FTTP)

This type of a connection provides end-to-end total distance fibre optic connection with no involvement of copper wiring. This type of connection is even faster than FTTC due to the elimination of the copper leg. The FTTC broadband provides download speeds of 40Mbps, with the actual being slightly slower. Not everyone is able to get the maximum speed offered because the distance from the cabinet to the end-user is different and the efficiency diminishes accordingly. The people living approximately 400 metres or less from the cabinet will get the best results, whereas those living over 2 Km away will get speeds of around 16 Mbps. Even this is more than twice as fast as the regular cable connection.These speeds are expected to increase to 80Mbps downstream. For people living in areas that have FTTP service available, download speeds of 100 Mbps are possible and chances are that they will go up to 1000 Mbps.

COST COMPARISON

Installing FTTC services require an engineer to install the initial set and costs approximately £100. In addition, potential consumers can expect to pay a ten pound premium for various other services, as opposed to the traditional, but much slower, ADSL connection. FTTC is the preferred technology in the next-generation of broadband. A majority, 75 percent, of the planned cable laying is to make up the FTTC, while the remaining 25 percent is the faster, but more expensive to install, FTTH. It is a common belief that these new services will replace the existing ADSL services in the coming five to ten years.