Like all wireline focused telcos, Qwest’s future lies in its ability to transition from a local phone company to a broadband service provider. Maximizing their broadband capabilities will be paramount as they battle cable and other competitors. Qwest may be somewhat handicapped, with conventional wisdom suggesting they’re not in a position to upgrade significant portions of their access network to FTTH. That means DSL will continue to play the dominant role in their broadband strategy.
With DOCSIS 3.0 already being deployed in multiple markets, Qwest needs a response. According to BroadbandReports.com, that response may be VDSL2. Chatter there reveals Qwest may be close to a VDSL2 launch, offering speeds as high as 40 Mbps.
VDSL2 is DSL’s latest iteration, offering a potentially similar FTTH broadband experience, with one major limitation – distance. Subscribers need to be within 3,000 feet of a fiber fed VDSL2 capable DSLAM to gain a FTTH ‘lite’ experience. There is considerable confusion surrounding the ‘V’ in VDSL. Many believe it stands for video – but it actually stands for ‘very high bit rate.’ Because it can support high bandwidth applications like video, it’s often aligned with video services, but broadband carriers can offer VDSL without offering video. AT&T is also exploring its VDSL2 options. Unfortunately, VDSL2’s promise will only be in reach of a select few (relatively speaking).
Anyone know Qwest’s average loop length? Not sure this is the best answer for them. Maybe in their urban cores, but what are they going to do beyond that?
The author makes a comment about most thinking the V in VDSL standing for video.
I believe the VD stands for “very dumb”.
Yes you get more speed, but it only buys you an option of time. The Telco labs are very creative at trying to squeeze what they can out of the copper plant. As everyone knows when you have a hybrid fiber/copper, or for that matter fiber/coaxial network, you create operating inefficiencies in the terms of higher network opex.
Only a all fiber solution resolves that.
I know they will say they can’t afford an all fiber solution, but by simply having a general partner place fiber for the established players where they don’t have it today, you reduce the unit costs by 30% or more. These companies continually to look internally for solutions, vs. externally, and because of this, the customers pay for it.
I also believe if you take care of the cusotmer, everything else has a way of working itself out in terms of shareholder value, employees and the community at large is happier.
Fiber, the solution now, and for the future.