Copper, Fiber, or Hybrid? Why are we still asking this question?
Douglas Marlowe
It's astounding! Time is fleeting. Madness takes its toll. But listen closely. Not for very much longer, We must...TAKE CONTROL..of our data. Call today to control the flow!. 561-247-1555 (Florida EST)
Some of you will say, "DUH! That's a no-brainer. Fiber is the best!"
Of course, over the long term, fiber is the most profitable investment, especially for new build projects. The problem is in the amortization schedules of existing investments. Look, if you can make an investment continue to produce revenue after it's been paid off, that's BIG PROFIT! It's why CableLabs is releasing DOCSIS 4.0 for Hybrid Coax-Fiber networks. The incremental investment in hardware and labor to install and upgrade is small compared with extending the useful life of the original investment. Does the EFF have any idea what it takes to wreck out or overbuild an existing cable plant with FTTH? It's very expensive. Just ask Verizon about FiOS. Ask Google about their fiber issues.
But, a crisis is in full swing in the construction and maintenance of critical infrastructure.
- For over 20 years, the broadband carriers (Voice, Video, and Data) have been paying less and asking more of the independent construction crews and prime contractors. The end result? A crisis in finding capable, trained, enthusiastic, and career-minded technicians who can brave the weather, master the tools and equipment, and deal with tighter and tighter schedules.
- There are NO NATIONAL STANDARDS for outside plant cable construction. Tony Werner tried in 1996 while at TCI, but it did not percolate to the rest of the industry.
- There is no national vocational curriculum for training the people we count on to build and maintain our critical infrastructure.
- There is little incentive for the contractors or their subcontractors to invest in training their technicians. They risk training someone only to have them leave or worse, compete.
- The existing data collection and communications tools for field work (design, engineering, construction, and maintenance) is stuck in the 1990s. Mobile Apps are designed for installation of services in the home. We call that fulfillment. Very little exists for construction and Quality Control.
Some possible solutions:
- Establish national standards for outside plant construction and maintenance
- Establish a funded (broadband carriers, federal grants, donations) training center and satellite facilities at community colleges where people can be trained and certified.
- Provide incentives for contractors to invest in in-house technical professionals.
Now, some of you will say that's what SCTE and NCTI are for. Really? Yes, in the beginning NCTI was the content writer and SCTE was the test giver. That ended long ago and now they compete with each other.
Can we get it together folks?
#catv #cableconstruction #PMO #ftth #docsis #broadband #scte #NCTI #catvnti #dougmarlowe
President and Master Instructor at GROUNDED CONNECTIONS
4 年Yes we need standards badly.
It's astounding! Time is fleeting. Madness takes its toll. But listen closely. Not for very much longer, We must...TAKE CONTROL..of our data. Call today to control the flow!. 561-247-1555 (Florida EST)
4 年Update. Penguin Data has added new modules to their software to fit the needs of OSP contractors.
United Communications LLC.
4 年Thank you so much for this article, it means a lot, and every word it's true. Been in CATV for 20 years, worked for Cablevison/Altice, Charter Spectrum and now WOW Cable. Contracted for 2 years, spliced, built , redesign, activated. Conventional Nodes 7 in cascade, Nodes 2 in cascade, Node plus 0, DWM, CDWM, Mux, Splits 4x2, 4x4s. From Jerrold, Texcam, Magnavox, SA 1, SA 2, Gainmaker, GI, Motorollas, ARRIS, to even new Technetix balancing w a software program that eliminates pads, etc. Worked in the Caribbean to the mountains in the Carolinas etc. But with all that experience and countless hours, always delivering splicing, activating and certifying entires Nodes in 1 day. Customer ready! (Try that w Fiber) Blood sweat and tears, but there's despicable people out there that still don't pay you. That's why talent is hard to find! Contractors, most of us need respect, when the work is always delivered!
System Maintenance Technician at Spectrum
4 年The MSO is responsible for the standards of the contractors work. System technicians then ‘release’ the new build after verifying forward / return levels off actives, end of line levels, bonding, expansion loops, etc. It used to be the return was not set up by contractors just to ensure there wasn’t any snr outages due to tx running out hot. Training has always been done with hands on in the contracting world. Pros and cons to it.
It's astounding! Time is fleeting. Madness takes its toll. But listen closely. Not for very much longer, We must...TAKE CONTROL..of our data. Call today to control the flow!. 561-247-1555 (Florida EST)
4 年I'd like to hear from both sides. the successes and the struggles. This article was a generalization about the industry based on 28 years of first-hand experience. I think we know who the villains are in this, but let's hear from the heroes.