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/232134
BBC: Can Omaha residents in the fber footprint get FTTP services if they were not previously CenturyLink customers? DP: We have provided an FTTP network for approximately 48,000 households that are a mix of current and potential customers. WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS BBC: How did you select Las Vegas for an FTTP buildout? Jef Oberschelp: We received a positive response to the launch of our Prism TV service in 2011 and wanted to show our commitment by ofering our Las Vegas customers new broadband technology that they can use to enhance their quality of life, now and into the future. BBC: How large is the Las Vegas pilot area? JO: Te initial installation this fall will be available to a few thousand homes throughout the Las Vegas area, and that number will signifcantly increase into 2014. We are not disclosing the number of homes in our launch footprint. BBC: Will the deployment eventually be citywide? Photo: CenturyLink Photo: Las Vegas Photo & Video Jef Oberschelp, CenturyLink VP and general manager, Las Vegas Danny Pate, CenturyLink VP and general manager, Omaha JO: Expansion of our 1 Gbps service throughout Las Vegas will be dependent on customer demand during our initial launch phase in 2013 and 2014. BBC: Did CenturyLink receive concessions from the city of Las Vegas of the type that Google received from the Kansas City governments? JO: We are receiving great support of our 1 gigabit service launch from city ofcials, who are helping to expedite the inspections and permits we need to begin our fber upgrades throughout the city. We have also received full support from government leaders, including Mayor Goodman and Governor Sandoval, who have pledged to help us communicate this service ofering to our customers. BBC: Are the technology and services in Las Vegas the same as in Omaha, or are you testing diferent alternatives? JO: We are extending our advanced fber network in Las Vegas directly to homes using fber-to-the-premises technology, just as we did in Omaha. BBC: What inspired these two projects? JO: Customers within the 1 Gbps area in Omaha were previously served NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | www.broadbandcommunities.com by pre-DOCSIS hybrid fber-coax, so we decided to upgrade that fber architecture to fber-to-the-premises technology and ofer gigabit service. Las Vegas is an extension of our gigabit trial in Omaha to test the potential in the marketplace for this kind of service. BBC: What kinds of results are you looking for before deciding whether to go forward on a larger scale? JO: Te company will evaluate the Omaha and Las Vegas 1 Gbps ofers before determining further deployment of this advanced technology, considering such factors as positive community support, competitive parity in the marketplace and the ability to earn a reasonable return on our investment. BBC: Do you have any ideas about how people will use gigabit networks? Are you surveying or tracking to fnd out what they are doing? JO: With 1 Gbps technology, the opportunities are endless. We are not tracking our customers' use of the service, but we know they will enjoy using this next-generation broadband technology. v | BROADBAND COMMUNITIES | 31