Page 9 - PCCAJournal2ndQuarter2011

This is a SEO version of PCCAJournal2ndQuarter2011. Click here to view full version

« Previous Page Table of Contents Next Page »

the stimulus program was sorted out and the network operators got a clearer picture on whether their projects would be funded,” Render said. “But of course that is all behind us now and our latest survey results are indicating that most FTTH projects are now going full speed ahead.”

RVA estimates that there are more than 770 entities now providing FTTH services in North America, 61 percent of which are small and mid-sized inde-pendent telephone companies. Another 13 percent are competitive broadband providers, 11 percent are municipalities or public electric utilities, 10 percent are associated with real estate develop-ments, and 4 percent are cable television providers.

In its survey, RVA also found that 70 percent of FTTH providers said they are “very likely” to continue to build

out their FTTH networks to reach more subscribers.

Many New Oferings

The RVA report also said that FTTH providers are beginning to more ag-gressively differentiate their internet offerings from DSL and cable modem competition with high-speed offerings that are often the same upstream and downstream. These include a number of providers that now offer symmetrical 100 megabit service, while EPB in Chatta-nooga, Tenn., has become the largest in-ternet service provider in North America to offer 1 Gigabit symmetrical service. Recently, the internet giant Google an-nounced that it would build an FTTH network providing 1 gigabit connectivity in Kansas City, Kans.

“Given the enormous and widespread interest we are seeing in next-generation

connectivity, it is not surprising that, as the recession fades, telecommunications providers across North America are re-suming their onward march toward all-fi-ber access,” said FTTH Council President Daniel O’Connell. “With emerging HD video, 3D video, and other applications in areas like tele-health, distance learn-ing, and cloud computing, most telecom providers recognize that they will have to upgrade to FTTH in order to keep pace with the ever-increasing consumer demand for more bandwidth.” RVA surveys all types of North Ameri-can FTTH providers and potential FTTH providers throughout the year and has conducted more than 360 interviews thus far in 2011, including interviews with more than 50 providers who re-ceived an ARRA stimulus grant specifi-cally for FTTH projects.

Page 9 - PCCAJournal2ndQuarter2011

This is a SEO version of PCCAJournal2ndQuarter2011. Click here to view full version

« Previous Page Table of Contents Next Page »