Eircom eFibre VDSL/FTTC rollout – plans to reach 1.6m premises by mid 2016

lucernarian

I'm pretty sure it's single mode. They're using similar fibre as for what is used for GPON to feed their cabinets or so I understand. I thought GPON required single mode fibre. Also, some of eircom's FTTC cabinets can be 2 or more km from the nearest exchange. I think that single mode fibre is better for those longer distances.

Richard Dower

how is the city centre roaches st. exchange in limerick going....is it setup yet.

syboit

Seen KN networks today out past the dunnes in ballyvolane pulling orange fibre.

PeadarB

http://pressroom.eircom.net/press_releases/article/eircom_responds_to_comreg_decision_on_nga/

We might see some movement now that this hurdle has been cleared.:rolleyes:

chriss745

PeadarB wrote: »

http://pressroom.eircom.net/press_releases/article/eircom_responds_to_comreg_decision_on_nga/

We might see some movement now that this hurdle has been cleared.:rolleyes:

Finally! Let's see what Eircom means under "as quickly as possible"

More details here: http://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/item/31279-eircom-agrees-to-allow/

red_bairn

PeadarB wrote: »

http://pressroom.eircom.net/press_releases/article/eircom_responds_to_comreg_decision_on_nga/

We might see some movement now that this hurdle has been cleared.:rolleyes:

Good signs I guess:
http://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/item/31279-eircom-agrees-to-allow-othe/

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/item/31257-dont-discount-copper/

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/item/31260-dublin-city-to-launch-12-fr/

But I think Ireland should be looping 10 steps forward rather than 1. We will always be behind.

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-193478830.html

Praetorian

Great that Eircom has that cleared with Comreg. They really should launch ASAP. Media blitz on the way folks!

swoofer

I wont hold my breath, they are still commissioning stuff but slowly but surely I may eventually get more than 6mb.

red_bairn

GBCULLEN wrote: »

I wont hold my breath, they are still commissioning stuff but slowly but surely I may eventually get more than 6mb.

By the time they've switched us from 6Mb to FTTC, I'll most likely be in Korea again...

swoofer

er what that not always the case that eircom have to share its network?? very suspicious, looks like a delaying tactic to me.

Cheerful Spring

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/item/31283-digiweb-launches-20mbps/

This would be nice beat the crappy DSL speeds i have now. 6 upload you only get that with Fibre broadband, too.

Unfortunately i heard Satellite has high pings pretty useless using this if you're a gamer.

the world wonders

GBCULLEN wrote: »

er what that not always the case that eircom have to share its network?? very suspicious, looks like a delaying tactic to me.

They always (well, not always, but LLU/bitstream has been around for a long time now) had to share their copper line network which had the DSLAMs located in the exchange. FTTC is a completely new network architecture with the DSLAMs in cabinets which requires new rules on pricing, access and SLAs.

Take a look at some of the PDFs on the Eircom NGN website to get an idea of the level of technical, financial and legal detail that has to be considered.

Solair

ComReg released a decision notification on NGA (Next Generation Access) which clarifies the situation for wholesale access and subloop unbundling and all of those competition issues.

Long document, but worth a read if you're interested.

http://www.comreg.ie/_fileupload/publications/ComReg1311.pdf

Sponge Bob

Section 8.7. Launch date NOT before 13th of May by order of Comreg. More regulatory work to be done. eircom have to give a full 6 month notice of service launch ona cabiet by cabinet basis and in PUBLIC. There is nothing on eircomwholesale yet so the 6 month clock is hardly ticking is it??

By My reading the service cannot actually launch before the 1st of August. It is because of the following regulation.


"9.13 Without prejudice to the generality of the Section 9.11 Eircom shall in
particular make available on its publically available wholesale website in
advance of implementation, information regarding its NGA roll out plans, and
information relating to wholesale products, services, and facilities such as
the expected time for service availability, as follows;
(i) For the Exchange areas included in Eircom’s NGA rollout plan the
following details shall also be made publically available on Eircom’s
wholesale website at least six (6) months in advance of implementation:
a. the total number, and location, using geographic coordinates, of
cabinets in each Exchange area; and
b. details of which specific cabinets will and will not be NGA
enabled, as part of Eircom’s NGA rollout plan; and"
c. the date for the provision of Next Generation WBA products,
services or facilities from any cabinet or cabinets (including a
Node other than a cabinet from which Eircom may offer NGA
products, services or facilities)


and

(ii) For the Exchange areas included in Eircom’s NGA rollout plan Eircom
shall publish on its publically available wholesale website, on a monthly
basis, or as reasonably required by ComReg, in advance of particular
cabinets becoming enabled, to update, reconcile or revise any previous
announcements or notifications, projections or plans, regarding NGA
roll-out, as matters progress in order that accurate, clear and current
information is made available in respect of plans for particular cabinets
(however material amendments or changes to information may not be
notified by way of such an update but shall be notified in accordance
with Section 9.13(i) or by agreement with ComReg or at ComReg’s
discretion); and
(iii) 28 days prior, or as reasonably required by ComReg, to WBA products,
services or facilities becoming available from a cabinet, Eircom shall
publish on Eircom’s publically available wholesale website and provide
to Access Seekers particular End-User information regarding the End-
User address information, such as information regarding the number of
homes passed and line pre-qualification data, and such other
information which may be reasonably required by an Access Seeker or
ComReg.

Solair

Sponge Bob wrote: »

Section 8.7. Launch date NOT before 13th of May by order of Comreg. More regulatory work to be done.

You'd think they'd have done this several years ago!?

Sponge Bob

Solair wrote: »

You'd think they'd have done this several years ago!?

In fairness this is all rather complex and the EU have moved the goalposts on occasion and confused regulators and incumbents.

Other than discussions on specific 'margin squeeze' pricing issues all done now I think. Only big problem is the 6 month rule.

Praetorian

Well done Sponge Bob. If you are right, it's disappointing but not surprising.

Another 6-7 months possibly of easy times for UPC.

Is there any pricing on it? Can VDSL be sold without phone line rental?

Solair

They also seem to be opening access to Eircom's duct / pole network. Could mean UPC finally getting rollout to some of the estates that aren't well covered in urban areas. There are definitely quite a few places in Cork which Chorus completely forgot about.

It could also open up the possibility of FTTH from other providers in some areas e.g. BT if they can install their own cabinets.

I'm kind of wondering though does this mean we're going to have little clusters of cabinets all over the place too if BT etc want to sub-loop unbundle it looks like it will mean another cabinet + tie lines into the eircom (old) cabinet.

lucernarian

Section 2.35 and 2.36...

Furthermore, SLU will be available on a reasonable request basis outside 
areas which have been deemed susceptible to a  State subsidy scheme. 
Where FTTC is deployed and vectoring is in place, imminent or credibly 
scheduled, the obligation to provide SLU on a mandatory basis would be 
removed to ensure that any investment in vectoring can be  facilitated  to 
facilitate higher speed services. In place of mandatory SLU, access will be 
available where it is deemed as reasonable according to the criteria 
described below.  An important exception to the rule is contemplated for non
 commercial areas susceptible to a government subsidy scheme, where SLU 
will continue to be  mandatory. The objective of the conditionality around 
SLU is to incentivise credible investment; timely deployment; and 
management of competing demands. We set out criteria which  shall  be 
used by industry to assess a request for access. These criteria have been 
developed  based on feedback from industry through the Consultation. The 
following cumulative criteria will be used to assess “reasonableness”, where 
a request for SLU is made to Eircom.   
 
A request will be considered unreasonable  if:  
•  FTTC/Vectoring roll out has taken place or is imminent or credibly 
scheduled by an operator deploying FTTC . 
•  The SLU operator fails to commit to next generation wholesale 
access (VUA/Bitstream).  
•  The SLU operator fails to commit to bandwidth enhancing 
technology where it is possible

Sounds like it's basically killed the idea of SLU dead, except for scenarios like in the UK where some village residents have laid fibre to their local cabinet and unbundled the cabinet for themselves.

Solair

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

Section 2.35 and 2.36...

[code]

Sounds like it's basically killed the idea of SLU dead, except for scenarios like in the UK where some village residents have laid fibre to their local cabinet and unbundled the cabinet for themselves.

LOADS of scope for that in Ireland though due to the MANs, many of which have never found much use, especially in small towns.

I don't know enough about 'vectoring' to comment on how that could be an issue.
Anyone know more about it that could perhaps post it here?

lucernarian

Vectoring requires that all lines served for VDSL are supplied by the same DSLAM, or at least that any DSLAMs are coordinated to work with other operators' DSLAMs if they employ vectoring. There are standards being worked on for various DSLAMS to provide service over the same e.g. 100 pair cable without knocking each other's signals out. The document proposes that eircom call the tune on the exact technical standards and other operators must follow them, if eircom do suffer another vectoring FTTC cabinet beside an existing FTTC cabinet.

Sponge Bob

They point out that Version 1 of vectoring kills SLU stone dead. Future 'multoperator' variants may change that or else a Vectorco takes over the Vector policy separate from eircom wholesale in future along with the new tech.

For now Sub Loop unbundling is dead, technically, yes.

Liamario

Will this fibre be available for UPC to use and even if it was, would they be allowed to tamper with it (improve the tech).

lucernarian

Sponge Bob wrote: »

They point out that Version 1 of vectoring kills SLU stone dead. Future 'multoperator' variants may change that or else a Vectorco takes over the Vector policy separate from eircom wholesale in future along with the new tech.

For now Sub Loop unbundling is dead, technically, yes.

Ah. Will this have immediate consequences for BT's plans in Dun Laoghaire?

bealtine

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

Ah. Will this have immediate consequences for BT's plans in Dun Laoghaire?

Isn't that the whole point of Comreg to give eircom everything they want?

bealtine

Solair wrote: »

I don't know enough about 'vectoring' to comment on how that could be an issue.

http://www.ericsson.com/news/101001_itu-ts_new_g_vector_standard_244218599_c

(No idea why I can't post the url)

In short vectoring reduces noise and crosstalk in a binder but the whole binder must be controlled by one company which provides the vectoring technology.

chriss745

Sponge Bob wrote: »

In fairness this is all rather complex and the EU have moved the goalposts on occasion and confused regulators and incumbents.

Other than discussions on specific 'margin squeeze' pricing issues all done now I think. Only big problem is the 6 month rule.

I am not sure about this 6 month rule. Comreg's PDF mentions 6 month rule at section 8.38, but it says: "(Guidance only)"

http://www.comreg.ie/_fileupload/publications/ComReg1311.pdf

Where did you read this 13th of May? I cannot see it anywhere in the publication. And why Eircom would say they are happy with that result and they start the service as quickly as possible? If Comreg would tell me that I will still have to wait minimum 6 months, I would say to my customers, "sorry, second half of the year" as Eircom said already several times.

red_bairn

I think the fibre is all down for Greystones. I've just done a speedtest.net and at first it's erratic (copper line) and than a straight line. The last time I had a perfect straight line was when I was on the FTTH in Korea. It looks like the line is active...or maybe I'm talking ****.

harrys

bealtine wrote: »

Isn't that the whole point of Comreg to give eircom everything they want?

Are you serious?

Did it ever cross your mind that maybe the vastly-profitable, multi-national, way-richer-than-eircom UPC should be forced to allow access to its monopoly network?

bealtine

harrys wrote: »

Are you serious?

Did it ever cross your mind that maybe the vastly-profitable, multi-national, way-richer-than-eircom UPC should be forced to allow access to its monopoly network?

Yes I am serious and I fail to see what UPC has to do with eircom's fairly limited roll out of FTTC. Comreg gave eircom control of all the FTTC cabinets and basically killed off SLU and possibly even LLU. So no unbundling in most of the country. Comreg did everything the rest of the industry didn't want them to do and there can only be one beneficiary. I believe that BT's plan are now in tatters
Sure eircom now have to share ducts but unless an OAO is willing to invest in cabinets they are now stuck with bitstream type access,

Allowing access to UPC's network is not really relevant to this thread and yes should be open too.