TecHnoLoGy - Broadband Properties

TECHNOLOGYAlloptic was the first PON vendor to make amajor commitment to RFOG; it has now beenjoined by most of the other companies servingthe US PON market. However, Wall Streetanalysts haven’t rewarded themfor their foresight.Key PlayersRFOG is particularly important forvendors that concentrated on EPON,and that either didn’t make the moveto GPON or didn’t want to compete atthe low price points dictated by Verizonin purchases for its FiOS build. Allopticwas one such vendor. Last year it cameup with a single-node circuit for thecustomer premises that could handlethe same signals that cable companiesusually send to a DOCSIS node. Othervendors that announced cable-oriented“Make the iron hot by striking it.”April 27 – 29, 2009Smart Move . . .— Oliver CromwellThese first movers are on board.HitachiThey’ve joined the 2009 Broadband Properties Summit as sponsors and exhibitors.PON last year included ARRIS, AuroraNetworks, CommScope, Motorola,and Wave7 Optics. Calix announced inJanuary 2008. Now, the major playerswith RFOG components announced orshipping include Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco(through its Service Provider VideoTechnology Group), Enablence (whichabsorbed Wave7), Hitachi Telecom, Tellabsand TXP.Among the major MSOs, Time WarnerCable seems to be most interested inRFOG. Smaller MSOs such as ArmstrongCable, BendBroadband, BresnanCommunications LLC and CableOneall have announced trials, mainly withCommScope. The CommScope Bright-Path system uses its outside plant equipmentwith Aurora Networks’ opticalnodes and headend equipment. Bright-Path can also be integrated with Harmonic’sforward path transmitters andreturn path receivers.Many others at this point are actuallyusing the Alloptic circuitry. Allopticdid not announce the next step – newreceivers and transmitters for the returnpath, for seamless uploading – untilMay. Wall Street analysts, not seeingmuch immediate market share gain,certainly did not bid up Alloptic stock.And that’s despite the fact that Allopticis close to releasing its Ethernet-standard10 GigE equipment as well. But,then again, Wall Street, impressed byVerizon’s performance, has only recentlybegun warming to fiber in any form.Likewise, Wall Street has not beenfriendly to Motorola, which announcedfield trials this spring and expects thatthe technology will eventually leadMSOs to GPON. Motorola is playingto both its GPON and its cable modemstrength, but has also announced developmentof back-office management softwarethat would allow MSOs to bridgethe gap to GPON more easily.Calix has another twist. Its 725ONT, which shipped in January, supportsRFOG along with all of the currentcable RF return path standards,including DOCSIS HFC and set-topboxes and cable modems, and SCTE55-1 and 55-2.Corning Cable Systems has a newOptiSnap connector, billed as a “fieldinstallable,no-epoxy, no-polish” connectorthat enables quick and cost-effectivetermination of fiber-optic cables inCATV deployments.The bottom line: No matter what thetechnology and what they are calling it,the cable industry now sees FTTH asinevitable. It’s about time. BBPAbout the AuthorContact Steve at Steve@broadbandproperties.com.30 | BROADBAND PROPERTIES | www.broadbandproperties.com | July 2008