BROADBAND COMMUNITIES is the leading source of information on digital and broadband technologies for buildings and communities. Our editorial aims to accelerate the deployment of Fiber-To-The-Home and Fiber-To-The-Premises.
Issue link: https://bbcmag.epubxp.com/i/686592
2 | BROADBAND COMMUNITIES | www.broadbandcommunities.com | MAY/JUNE 2016 EDITOR'S NOTE Broadband Communities (ISSN 0745-8711) (USPS 679-050) (Publication Mail Agreement #1271091) is published 7 times a year at a rate of $24 per year by Broadband Properties LLC, 1909 Avenue G, Rosenberg, TX 77471. Periodical postage paid at Rosenberg, TX, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Broadband Communities, PO Box 303, Congers, NY 10920-9852. CANADA POST: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. Canada Returns to be sent to Bleuchip International, PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. Copyright © 2016 Broadband Properties LLC. All rights reserved. CEO Barbara DeGarmo / barbara@bbcmag.com PU B LISH ER Nancy McCain / nancym@bbcmag.com E D I T O R - I N - C H I E F Masha Zager / masha@bbcmag.com E D I T O R -AT- L A R G E Steven S. Ross / steve@bbcmag.com ADV ER T ISI N G SALE S A CCO U N T E X E C U T I V E Irene Prescott / irene@bbcmag.com E V E N T S CO O R D I N AT O R Dennise Argil / dennise@bbcmag.com CO M M U N I T Y N E W S E D I T O R Marianne Cotter / marianne@bbcmag.com D E SI G N & PR O D U C T I O N Karry Thomas CO N T R I B U T O R S David Daugherty, Korcett Holdings Inc. Heather Burnett Gold, FTTH Council, NA Joanne Hovis, CTC Technology & Energy W. James MacNaughton, Esq. Christopher Mitchell, Institute for Local Self-Reliance Henry Pye, RealPage, Inc. Bryan Rader, Bandwidth Consulting, LLC Craig Settles, Gigabit Nation Robert L. Vogelsang, Broadband Communities Magazine B R OA D BA N D P R O P E R T I E S L LC CEO Barbara DeGarmo V I CE PR E SI D EN T, B USI N E SS & O PER AT I O N S Nancy McCain CHAI R M AN O F T H E B OAR D Robert L. Vogelsang V I CE CHAI R M AN The Hon. Hilda Gay Legg B USI N E SS & ED I TO R IAL O FFI CE B R OAD BAN D PR O PER T I E S LLC 19 0 9 Ave nu e G • R o s e n b e r g , T X 77471 281. 3 42 .9 655 • Fa x 281. 3 42 .1158 w w w. b r o a d b a n d co m m u n i t i e s . co m masha@bbcmag.com E xactly a decade ago, when this magazine launched a section called Killer App, I wrote an introductory article that advised deployers, "Build it, and they will come." As every business student knows, this is bad advice when "they" means customers – and, in fact, broadband deployers have become much more savvy since that time about gauging (and boosting) demand before they ever start to build. In this case, however, "they" meant applications. Ten years ago, people were just beginning to glimpse the possible uses for fber networks. I argued that deployers should think beyond HDTV, YouTube and video Skype to a wealth of new applications that would drive demand for their networks. Fiber networks have always had a chicken- and-egg problem, which kept high- bandwidth applications from emerging until enough fber was in place. Many deployers did take the risk of investing in fber. Now that the chicken (fber) has reached a critical point, the eggs (applications) are appearing on the market. Ten years from now, even more applications will likely be available. But already, fber networks have proven far more versatile than anyone could have imagined. Some new applications, interestingly, rely on a combination of a dense fber network and lightweight sensors or other mobile devices that operate over short distances. Here are a few of the fber applications and technologies you'll fnd discussed in this issue of BroadBand Communities : • Virtual reality, the technology that took SXSW by storm this year ("Combine it with videoconferencing, and it's pretty close to teleportation") • Telepresence (way better than standard videoconferencing) • 4K video with high-dynamic-range imaging • Car-mounted distributed antenna systems for maintaining wireless coverage in elevators • Smart electric grids and microgrids • Automatic switchover of building operations to backup power • Real-time air quality measurement • Real-time trafc measurement (and correlation with air quality measurement) • Tracking frst responders at emergency sites • Remote physical therapy with real- time movement assessment • Remote support for dementia caregivers • Remote access to research micro- scopes for high school students • Remote, real-time collaboration on video broadcast production • Environmental monitoring to predict public health issues • Virtual environments for surgical training • Multiple-venue dance performances. How is your community using fber? Tell us if you have new and interesting applications in the works. v New Uses For Fiber Networks The promised deluge of applications for fber networks is beginning to arrive.