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BROADBAND COMMUNITIES
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www.broadbandcommunities.com
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MARCH/APRIL 2017
TECHNOLOGY
Data-Driven Fiber Projects
An up-front investment in data can help cities build cost-efficient fiber networks that
meet the needs of residents and businesses.
By Fabion Kauker and Nick Guy / Biarri Networks
F
iber infrastructure is now mandatory
for any modern municipality looking to
improve social and business outcomes
for its constituents. However, deploying an
FTTx network involves many stakeholders,
all of which have unique and complex
requirements. Unless municipalities understand
all their needs, time and cost blowouts will
inevitably result.
To overcome these challenges, municipalities
have a critical need to invest in data to support
planning processes and guide decisions at each
stage of an FTTx build. A fully data-driven
approach makes it possible to overcome the
issues that inhibit network deployments and
ultimately deliver
• An asset that generates ROI sooner
• A less expensive network
• A more transparent, efficient end-to-end
process.
WHY BUILD A FIBER-POWERED
GIG CITY?
ere are many well-documented trends in
technology uptake and bandwidth growth that
drive overall internet consumption forecasts.
However, it is important to define the primary
need in the particular community to be
connected. e primary need may be to create
greater market competition, improve small-
business investment, support critical social
services or take a step toward the smart-city
movement.
In addition, determining core architecture
and technology goals is critical, as they impact
the timeline, cost, funding options and level of
engagement required from the community.
Chattanooga, Tennessee, was the first U.S.
city to provide full gigabit speeds to the local
community. Since then, economist Bento Lobo
of the University of Tennessee has documented
substantial social and economic benefits of
the city's FTTH rollout. e fiber network
has so far provided $865 million in benefits
for Chattanooga and added more than 2,800
jobs. e ancillary benefits have also supported
education, health, small business, the arts and
municipal services.
e nearby city of Huntsville, Alabama,
which is also building out a fiber network,
has seen an increase in competition, which
ultimately supports more choice for consumers
and delivers better overall service. Unlike
Chattanooga, Huntsville is retaining ownership
of the backbone infrastructure and leases
network bandwidth on an open-access basis to
providers such as Google Fiber. Other providers,
such as AT&T;, are building competing fiber
networks in Huntsville.
ough no two fiber projects are the same,
key learnings can be applied, and a wealth of
knowledge is available from those who have
been part of previous projects. e list of
municipal fiber networks on the Broad B and
Communities database at www.fiberville.com
provides a great starting point to research other
projects. Data on projects' timelines, premises
connected, take rates, budgets and geographies
can greatly assist in drawing analogies.