CUSTOMER ACCESS CUSTOMER ACCESS NETWORKNETWORK

BYBY

Mohd Nasir bin SaidMohd Nasir bin Said

ADTEC KulimADTEC Kulim

CUSTOMER ACCESS NETWORKCUSTOMER ACCESS NETWORK(CAN)(CAN)

TITLE CODE: L03-3-5TITLE CODE: L03-3-5 NOSS CODE:D-210-3 & D-211-3NOSS CODE:D-210-3 & D-211-3 TOTAL CREDIT HOURS: 2 HRSTOTAL CREDIT HOURS: 2 HRS

DEFINITIONDEFINITION

An An access networkaccess network is that part of a is that part of a communicationscommunications networknetwork which which connects subscribers to their connects subscribers to their immediate immediate service providerservice provider..

An access network or An access network or outside plantoutside plant refers to the series of wires, cables refers to the series of wires, cables and equipment lying between a and equipment lying between a consumer/business telephone consumer/business telephone termination point (the point at which termination point (the point at which a telephone connection reaches the a telephone connection reaches the customer) and the local customer) and the local telephone exchangetelephone exchange

The local exchange contains banks of The local exchange contains banks of automated switching equipment to direct a automated switching equipment to direct a call or connection to the consumer. call or connection to the consumer.

The access network is perhaps one of the The access network is perhaps one of the oldest assets a telecoms operator owns, oldest assets a telecoms operator owns, and is constantly evolving, growing as new and is constantly evolving, growing as new customers are connected, and as new customers are connected, and as new services are offered.services are offered.

This makes the access network one of the This makes the access network one of the most complex networks in the world to most complex networks in the world to maintain and keep track of.maintain and keep track of.

Access networks consist largely of pairs of Access networks consist largely of pairs of copper wirescopper wires, each traveling in a direct path , each traveling in a direct path between the exchange and the customer. between the exchange and the customer. In some instances, these wires may even In some instances, these wires may even be be aluminumaluminum, the use of which was , the use of which was common in the 1960s and 1970s following common in the 1960s and 1970s following a massive increase in the cost of copper. As a massive increase in the cost of copper. As it happened, the price increase was it happened, the price increase was temporary, but the effect of this decision is temporary, but the effect of this decision is still felt today because the aluminum wires still felt today because the aluminum wires oxidize and lose their ability to carry large oxidize and lose their ability to carry large quantities of data.quantities of data.

Access is essential to the future Access is essential to the future profitability of operators who are profitability of operators who are experiencing massive reductions in experiencing massive reductions in revenue from POTS (revenue from POTS (plain old telephone servicesplain old telephone services), due in ), due in part to the opening of historically part to the opening of historically nationalized companies to competition, nationalized companies to competition, and in part to increased use of mobile and in part to increased use of mobile phones and VOIP (phones and VOIP (voice over IPvoice over IP) ) services services

Operators now look toward additional Operators now look toward additional services such as services such as xDSLxDSL based broadband and based broadband and IPTV (IPTV (Internet Protocol TelevisionInternet Protocol Television) to ) to guarantee future profit. guarantee future profit.

The access network is again the main barrier The access network is again the main barrier to achieving these profits since operators to achieving these profits since operators world wide have accurate records of only world wide have accurate records of only 40% to 60% of the network. Without 40% to 60% of the network. Without understanding or even knowing the understanding or even knowing the characteristics of these enormous copper characteristics of these enormous copper spider webs, it is very difficult, and spider webs, it is very difficult, and expensive to 'provision' (connect) new expensive to 'provision' (connect) new customers and assure the data rates customers and assure the data rates required to receive next generation services.required to receive next generation services.

Over time, we will see the access Over time, we will see the access networks around the world evolve to networks around the world evolve to include more and more optical fiber include more and more optical fiber technology. Optical fibre already technology. Optical fibre already makes up the majority of core makes up the majority of core networks and will start to creep networks and will start to creep closer and closer to the customer, closer and closer to the customer, until a full transition to 21st Century until a full transition to 21st Century Networks is achieved, delivering Networks is achieved, delivering value added services over value added services over fiber to the homefiber to the home (FTTH). (FTTH).

Without an access network, a fixed Without an access network, a fixed line telco can not exist, yet this line telco can not exist, yet this network has been undervalued and network has been undervalued and under invested for decades. Telcos under invested for decades. Telcos today, need to massively improve today, need to massively improve their understanding of these their understanding of these networks to remain profitable in the networks to remain profitable in the short term, and remain in existence short term, and remain in existence in the longer term.in the longer term.

Copper access networkCopper access network

In civilian telecommunications, the copper In civilian telecommunications, the copper access networkaccess network (also known as the (also known as the local looplocal loop) ) typically consists of the following elements:typically consists of the following elements:

In-house wiring that connects In-house wiring that connects customer premises equipmentcustomer premises equipment to the to the demarcation pointdemarcation point..

One or more One or more twisted pairstwisted pairs connect the connect the demarcation point to a streetside cabinet or demarcation point to a streetside cabinet or Serving area interfaceServing area interface..

The streetside cabinet contains a The streetside cabinet contains a distribution framedistribution frame..

The streetside cabinet is connected to the The streetside cabinet is connected to the main distribution framemain distribution frame, located at the , located at the central officecentral office, by one or more cables which , by one or more cables which together contain hundreds of copper together contain hundreds of copper twisted pairs or by optical fiber.twisted pairs or by optical fiber.

Jumper cables are installed on both the Jumper cables are installed on both the MDF and the streetside distribution frame.MDF and the streetside distribution frame.

Active equipment (such as a Active equipment (such as a POTSPOTS or or DSLDSL line circuit) can then be connected to the line circuit) can then be connected to the line in order to provide service, but this is line in order to provide service, but this is not considered part of outside plantnot considered part of outside plant

Outside Plant Engineers Outside Plant Engineers

OSP Engineers are also often called OSP Engineers are also often called Field Engineers as they often spend a Field Engineers as they often spend a great deal of time in the field taking great deal of time in the field taking notes about the civil environment, notes about the civil environment, aerial, above ground, and below aerial, above ground, and below ground ground

OSP Engineers are responsible for OSP Engineers are responsible for taking plant (copper, fiber, etc.) from a taking plant (copper, fiber, etc.) from a wire center to a distribution point or wire center to a distribution point or destination point directly. If a destination point directly. If a distribution point design is used then a distribution point design is used then a cross connect box is placed in a cross connect box is placed in a strategic location to feed a determined strategic location to feed a determined distribution area.distribution area.

The cross connect box, also known The cross connect box, also known as a service area interface is then as a service area interface is then installed to allow connections to be installed to allow connections to be made more easily from the wire made more easily from the wire center to the destination point and center to the destination point and ties up fewer facilities by not having ties up fewer facilities by not having dedication facilities from the wire dedication facilities from the wire center to every destination point center to every destination point

The plant is then taken directly to its The plant is then taken directly to its destination point or to another small destination point or to another small closure called a pedestal where access closure called a pedestal where access can also be gained to the plant if can also be gained to the plant if necessary. These access points are necessary. These access points are preferred as they allow faster repair preferred as they allow faster repair times for customers and save telephone times for customers and save telephone operating companies large amounts of operating companies large amounts of money.money.

The plant facilities can be delivered The plant facilities can be delivered via underground facilities, either direct via underground facilities, either direct buried or through conduit or in some buried or through conduit or in some cases laid under water, via aerial cases laid under water, via aerial facilities such as telephone or power facilities such as telephone or power poles, or via microwave radio signals poles, or via microwave radio signals for long distances where either of the for long distances where either of the other two methods is too costly.other two methods is too costly.

As Structural Engineers, OSP As Structural Engineers, OSP Engineers are responsible for the Engineers are responsible for the structural design and placement of structural design and placement of cellular towers and telephone poles cellular towers and telephone poles as well as calculating pole as well as calculating pole capabilities of existing telephone or capabilities of existing telephone or power poles new plant is being power poles new plant is being added onto added onto

Structural calculations are required when Structural calculations are required when boring under heavy traffic areas such as boring under heavy traffic areas such as highways or when attaching to other highways or when attaching to other structures such as bridges. structures such as bridges.

Shoring also has to be taken into Shoring also has to be taken into consideration for larger trenches or pits. consideration for larger trenches or pits.

Conduit structures often include Conduit structures often include encasements of slurry that needs to be encasements of slurry that needs to be designed to support the structure and designed to support the structure and withstand the environment around it (soil withstand the environment around it (soil type, high traffic areas, etc.).type, high traffic areas, etc.).

As Electrical Engineers, OSP As Electrical Engineers, OSP Engineers are responsible for the Engineers are responsible for the resistance, capacitance, and resistance, capacitance, and inductance (RCL) design of all new inductance (RCL) design of all new plant to ensure telephone service is plant to ensure telephone service is clear and crisp and data service is clear and crisp and data service is clean as well as reliable.clean as well as reliable.

Attenuation and loop loss Attenuation and loop loss calculations are required to calculations are required to determine cable length and size determine cable length and size required to provide the service called required to provide the service called for. In addition power requirements for. In addition power requirements have to be calculated and provided have to be calculated and provided for to power any electronic for to power any electronic equipment being placed in the field. equipment being placed in the field.

Ground potential has to be taken into Ground potential has to be taken into consideration when placing consideration when placing equipment, facilities, and plant in the equipment, facilities, and plant in the field to account for lightning strikes, field to account for lightning strikes, high voltage intercept from high voltage intercept from improperly grounded or broken improperly grounded or broken power company facilities, and from power company facilities, and from various sources of electromagnetic various sources of electromagnetic interference interference

As Civil Engineers, OSP Engineers are As Civil Engineers, OSP Engineers are responsible for drawing up plans, responsible for drawing up plans, either by hand or using Computer either by hand or using Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) software, for Aided Drafting (CAD) software, for how telecom plant facilities will be how telecom plant facilities will be placed. placed.

Often when working with municipalities Often when working with municipalities trenching or boring permits are required trenching or boring permits are required and drawings must be made for these. and drawings must be made for these. Often these drawings include about 70% Often these drawings include about 70% or so of the detailed information required or so of the detailed information required to pave a road or add a turn lane to an to pave a road or add a turn lane to an existing street. Structural calculations existing street. Structural calculations are required when boring under heavy are required when boring under heavy traffic areas such as highways or when traffic areas such as highways or when attaching to other structures such as attaching to other structures such as bridges bridges

As Civil Engineers Telecom Engineers As Civil Engineers Telecom Engineers provide the modern communications provide the modern communications backbone for all technological backbone for all technological communications distributed communications distributed throughout civilizations today.throughout civilizations today.

Unique to Telecom Engineering is the Unique to Telecom Engineering is the use of air core cable which requires an use of air core cable which requires an extensive network of air handling extensive network of air handling equipment such as compressors, equipment such as compressors, manifolds, regulators and hundreds of manifolds, regulators and hundreds of miles of air pipe per system that miles of air pipe per system that connects to pressurized splice cases all connects to pressurized splice cases all designed to pressurize this special form designed to pressurize this special form of copper cable to keep moisture out of copper cable to keep moisture out and provide a clean signal to the and provide a clean signal to the customer. customer.

The OSP Engineer is the telephone The OSP Engineer is the telephone operating companies’ face and voice to the operating companies’ face and voice to the local authorities and other utilities. local authorities and other utilities.

OSP Engineers often meet with OSP Engineers often meet with municipalities, construction companies and municipalities, construction companies and other utility companies to address their other utility companies to address their concerns and educate them about how the concerns and educate them about how the telephone utility works and operates. telephone utility works and operates. Additionally, the OSP Engineer has to Additionally, the OSP Engineer has to secure real estate to place outside facilities secure real estate to place outside facilities on such as an easement to place a cross on such as an easement to place a cross connect box on. connect box on.

THANK YOUTHANK YOU

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