[ Copper Life ]
Hi Pat,
I was poking around the CRTC site and found this in a Stentor document. It is the first reference I have seen to ADSL shortening, rather than lengthening the life of copper loops.
John
PS - I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel ... Is it enlightenment, an approaching train, or am I dead? My BBTK may turn out to be a winner yet. :-))
***
ADSL
This phenomenon is in evidence today as ever increasing numbers of businesses and families subscribe to Internet services. Both cable and telephone companies are scrambling to field trial and roll out the first generation of technology specifically designed for this market. Just as the PC computer market has evolved through 5-6 generations of processors/peripherals over the past 12-13 years, so to will the demand for increased bandwidth drive the evolution of technologies such as ADSL.
However, the demand for increased bandwidth over ADSL will further accelerate the need to replace copper. As reflected on Attachment 6, initial ADSL technology (1.5-2 Mbps) will operate over a 4.5 km copper loop. As the technology evolves, and higher bandwidth becomes available, the length of the copper loop must decrease accordingly to 3 km (6-8 Mbps), 300 m (13-26 Mbps) and 100 m (26-52 Mbps). As a result, rather than extending the life of copper in the access, the Company's expectation is that increasing demand for bandwidth, even to the extent it is provided via technologies such as ADSL/VDSL, will in fact accelerate the demise of copper, both in the feeder and distribution portions of the network.
(Stentor is the association of all Canadian Telephone Companies) |
