FTTPandGPON

  Your typical FTTH (Fibre to the Home) building infrastructure installation includes several key components that work together to deliver high-speed fibre connectivity from the service provider to the individual residences, commercial offices or retail spaces.   There is some confusion as what components are necessary, and what acronyms refer to which part of the building’s fibre installation. We go through each of these elements to briefly describe their function and attributes. ·         STOM (Subscriber Termination Optical Module): Also referred to as the Building Head Optical Termination Box, the STOM is the point within each customer unit where the optical fibre terminates. It provides the physical interface for the customer’s equipment (such as the ONU or router) to connect to the fibre network. ·         ROE (Room of Entry):   Described as the Building Optical Splitting Box, the ROE is th...

  How are high-bandwidth applications like IPTV and video able to be sent over any LAN environment to many recipients safely and optimally without causing havoc with network bandwidth? Well, good design practices in networks for a start - and another is to use multicast. The vast majority of systems that transport any sort of AV traffic over the IP network today use multicast as their preferred method of transport. (I say the vast majority as some, believe it or not, use other less efficient methods, such as broadcast….) And they use multicast with good reason. It is the most efficient mechanism on the network available for transporting information (especially large-bandwidth data) from one source to many receivers. Unlike non-real time traffic such data which is transported as unicast, the network has to treat high-bandwidth, real-time traffic like video that needs to be received by a number of endpoints simultaneously, differently. It uses multicast to do this. In this ...

  As professionals shaping the digital environments of homes, offices, and public spaces, technology manufacturers, consultants, designers, and installers sit at the frontline of digital inclusion. But are we doing enough to ensure that the technology we specify, design, and implement supports not just performance—but basic digital equity ? That’s where the Minimum Digital Living Standard (MDLS) comes in—a new framework that’s increasingly relevant to the built environment and digital infrastructure sectors. What is the MDLS? The Minimum Digital Living Standard (MDLS) defines the minimum level of digital access, connectivity, devices, and skills that people in the UK need to participate fully in modern life. Developed by leading UK universities and the Good Things Foundation, it’s based not on technical specifications alone, but on real people’s expectations and needs—from applying for jobs and accessing public services to staying connected with loved ones. Why It’s Relev...

  Introduction As you may already be aware, Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, has recently granted Starlink (SpaceX’s communications arm) ‘temporary authorisation’ for their ever--growing cluster of LEO satellites to use E band frequencies for their service. These are outlined proposals that could see Starlink and other satellite broadband services play a more significant role in the country’s digital infrastructure. There is not denying that while this move signals a growing acceptance of space-based internet as a valuable asset, it’s clear that satellite connectivity won’t be replacing fibre or mobile networks anytime soon. Instead, satellite broadband is set to complement existing technologies – it’s more a case of filling gaps, not taking over. Starlink's Strategic Importance Ofcom’s proposals come as part of a broader effort to boost connectivity in rural and hard-to-reach areas. SpaceX’s Starlink, with its constellation of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, o...