ESB Looking to setup Fibre Network

Quin_Dub · 22-07-2013 8:52am #1

Article in Irish Times

What's actually involved here ?

Is this a totally new set of cabling just using the ESB infrastructure of duct-work and pylons or can they leverage existing cabling to get service to outlying locations - e.g. "Powerlink Homeplugs" on a giant scale??

raymix · 22-07-2013 10:03am

You can't have "fibre" without fibre optic cables. It would be the same as calling 3G network a "broadband". In that page it states it will be FTTB connection, where no copper cable should be involved.
Also the only reason the electricity flows trough those pylons is because of high voltage alternating current.
Network data transfers as direct current, plus look at damn size of those cables, imagine the resistance and amount of exchange servers it would require to push the high speed data trough them. The more frequency, the more speed, the less distance.
However the "homeplug" part should definitely come in play at some point, it's a really viable technology, pretty new and not that secure, too. Still, I prefer it over WiFi myself.

damienirel · 22-07-2013 10:20am

I think it's obvious enough from the report:

"Vodafone and BT Ireland are vying to partner ESB in building a €400 million super-fast fibre network, which will be strung across ESB poles and run directly into homes and businesses."

So no it's not gonna run on the electric wire it will however use existing poles and infrastructure. Seems like a no brainer to me- ESB should have done this ages ago - god knows they've got the cash!

Quin_Dub · 22-07-2013 10:34am

I know that they'll run Fibre in the cities and town etc.

I guess my somewhat hopeful question was whether there was flexibility for them to bring a high speed service to outlying rural areas via the electrical infra-structure unlike the other Fibre providers who won't put in brand new infrastructure due to cost implications.

Trick of the Tail · 22-07-2013 11:00am

The ESB already have fibre running on their distribution network - look up at the overhead HT wires and sometimes you'll see where a second cable is wound around the main conductor.

The network infrastructure is there, all they need to add is the 'last mile' of fibre to everyone's house. It's all well and good running it on poles, but every time there's a drop-off to a consumer there'd need to be some electronics to switch the data.

And what about the majority of newer estates where the electrical service is underground?

The local distribution is the hardest and most expensive part of the equation.

Mgit · 22-07-2013 1:26pm

I think its a great idea and would give eircom some true competition and comreg would have less to worry about with the limitations of fibre to the cabinet for isps installing their own dslams. It wouldnt help eircoms financial situation though, they could end up reselling wholesale services from this venture in certain cases.

Like trick of the tail says the last mile is the expensive part but I'm sure the esb would have ducting into the meter boxes in the newer estates and fibre optic cables dont suffer from electrician interference so they could potentially terminate the fibre optic cable inside the meter box making the install very fast and possibly even installing the cables without owners permission as the meter box and duct is their property.

If the esb cables are just buried straight into the ground then its a different story and won't give the esb much last mile advantage over anyone else trying to do this. Whatever happens there isnt a hope of this been live for anyone in 12 months like the article says. I think 3 - 5 years is more realistic. In Australia fibre to the home deployment started in 2010 and was expected to finish in 2020. They now know that 2020 isn't even realistic

BeerWolf · 22-07-2013 2:19pm

SO would this give hope to those outside that "efibre" range, of fiber to copper lines thing, of getting proper broadband ?

Currently, I'm "eligible" to get eFibre - but I'd only be getting a whooping 1MB connection, due to my range from the cabinet...

And I'm currently stuck with this God damn useless company Ripplecom.

kaizersoze · 22-07-2013 4:50pm

BeerWolf wrote: »

SO would this give hope to those outside that "efibre" range, of fiber to copper lines thing, of getting proper broadband ?

Currently, I'm "eligible" to get eFibre - but I'd only be getting a whooping 1MB connection, due to my range from the cabinet...

And I'm currently stuck with this God damn useless company Ripplecom.

Really? Something doesn't sound right there. They don't normally/shouldn't be selling it on lines over 1200 m from the cabinet and at that distance you should be able to get 20-25 meg.

the_syco · 24-07-2013 8:01pm

The ESB have had the fiber on the pylons for quite some time (read; years?); it just hasn't been switched on yet. t seems someone has gotten the idea to use it.

bk · 25-07-2013 8:58am

the_syco wrote: »

The ESB have had the fiber on the pylons for quite some time (read; years?); it just hasn't been switched on yet. t seems someone has gotten the idea to use it.

It is switched on and used by companies like UPC, BT, Vodafone, etc. for national backhaul.

funnyname · 25-07-2013 1:13pm

Crystal ball question but will this rollout out make it easier and cheaper for fwa providers to tap into better backhaul as well?

I presume that is what really differentiates say NWE up in the northwest to Airwire in the west?

bk wrote: »

It is switched on and used by companies like UPC, BT, Vodafone, etc. for national backhaul.

the_syco · 25-07-2013 3:45pm

bk wrote: »

It is switched on and used by companies like UPC, BT, Vodafone, etc. for national backhaul.

Ah, grand. Heard about it ages ago, but not since. Glad someone is using it.

bk · 25-07-2013 3:48pm

funnyname wrote: »

Crystal ball question but will this rollout out make it easier and cheaper for fwa providers to tap into better backhaul as well?

While no guarantee, it really should do.

As should the Eircom VDSL rollout.

That is if the ESB and Eircom sell backhaul to wireless carriers on their networks. Which the government should really courage both to do.

lockup35 · 25-07-2013 6:59pm

Beware ESB/Eircom. Us lazy Irish people might have to install our own fibre networks like these crazy Canadians

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2013/07/17/technology-gigabit-internet-olds.html

raymix · 25-07-2013 7:05pm

Personally I am not crazy about download speeds. So far ~1.8MB/s i get from Smart is more than enough (except for the cap). Give me 5 Mbps upload and I am set for few years.

However a gigabit connection for that price is just epic.

Nolars · 25-07-2013 7:28pm

Here's a mad idea the ESB, upc, Eircom, Vodaphone, sky and whoever else wants in bring ftth to ever house in Ireland with some sort of incentive from the government.

Instead of 10+ years of 4g crap and reports, just wasting more money.

One can always dream.