Broadband service delivery: CYTA ADSL field trial experience

Abstract

The growing demand in broadband services, be it for example the fast Internet, multimedia services, video broadcast services, calls for the re-examination of the technology platforms deployed in a future-proof access network. Certainly, the cabled medium to carry such services is an all optical Fiber To The Home (FTTH) network. Such a high speed access network could theoretically provide the complete range of all currently known and new services being discussed for the residential subscribers and business customers. However, due to the cost of deploying such technology and due to the immaturity of the technology, incumbents are driven towards harnessing existing copper infrastructures to the maximum extent possible. We present the work carried out by the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (CYTA) in the field of broadband service delivery over ADSL and highlight critical issues for doing so in a field trial environment, whereby multi-vendor equipment and multiple service provider presence are a reality. In the field trial both Full Rate ADSL and ADSL Lite are deployed.