Transcript CUSTOMER ACCESS NETWORK

CUSTOMER ACCESS
NETWORK
BY
Mohd Nasir bin Said
ADTEC Kulim
CUSTOMER ACCESS NETWORK
(CAN)
TITLE CODE: L03-3-5
 NOSS CODE:D-210-3 & D-211-3
 TOTAL CREDIT HOURS: 2 HRS
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DEFINITION
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An access network is that part of a
communications network which connects
subscribers to their immediate service
provider.
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An access network or outside plant refers
to the series of wires, cables and
equipment lying between a
consumer/business telephone termination
point (the point at which a telephone
connection reaches the customer) and
the local telephone exchange
The local exchange contains banks of automated
switching equipment to direct a call or
connection to the consumer.
 The access network is perhaps one of the oldest
assets a telecoms operator owns, and is
constantly evolving, growing as new customers
are connected, and as new services are offered.
 This makes the access network one of the most
complex networks in the world to maintain and
keep track of.
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Access networks consist largely of pairs of
copper wires, each traveling in a direct path
between the exchange and the customer. In
some instances, these wires may even be
aluminum, the use of which was common in the
1960s and 1970s following a massive increase in
the cost of copper. As it happened, the price
increase was temporary, but the effect of this
decision is still felt today because the aluminum
wires oxidize and lose their ability to carry large
quantities of data.
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Access is essential to the future
profitability of operators who are
experiencing massive reductions in
revenue from POTS (plain old telephone
services), due in part to the opening of
historically nationalized companies to
competition, and in part to increased use
of mobile phones and VOIP (voice over IP)
services
Operators now look toward additional services
such as xDSL based broadband and IPTV
(Internet Protocol Television) to guarantee
future profit.
 The access network is again the main barrier to
achieving these profits since operators world
wide have accurate records of only 40% to 60%
of the network. Without understanding or even
knowing the characteristics of these enormous
copper spider webs, it is very difficult, and
expensive to 'provision' (connect) new
customers and assure the data rates required to
receive next generation services.
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Over time, we will see the access
networks around the world evolve to
include more and more optical fiber
technology. Optical fibre already makes up
the majority of core networks and will
start to creep closer and closer to the
customer, until a full transition to 21st
Century Networks is achieved, delivering
value added services over fiber to the
home (FTTH).
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Without an access network, a fixed line
telco can not exist, yet this network has
been undervalued and under invested for
decades. Telcos today, need to massively
improve their understanding of these
networks to remain profitable in the short
term, and remain in existence in the
longer term.
Copper access network
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In civilian telecommunications, the copper
access network (also known as the local loop)
typically consists of the following elements:
In-house wiring that connects customer
premises equipment to the demarcation point.
One or more twisted pairs connect the
demarcation point to a streetside cabinet or
Serving area interface.
The streetside cabinet contains a distribution
frame.
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The streetside cabinet is connected to the main
distribution frame, located at the central office,
by one or more cables which together contain
hundreds of copper twisted pairs or by optical
fiber.
Jumper cables are installed on both the MDF
and the streetside distribution frame.
Active equipment (such as a POTS or DSL line
circuit) can then be connected to the line in
order to provide service, but this is not
considered part of outside plant
Outside Plant Engineers

OSP Engineers are also often called Field
Engineers as they often spend a great
deal of time in the field taking notes about
the civil environment, aerial, above
ground, and below ground
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OSP Engineers are responsible for taking
plant (copper, fiber, etc.) from a wire
center to a distribution point or destination
point directly. If a distribution point design
is used then a cross connect box is placed
in a strategic location to feed a
determined distribution area.
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The cross connect box, also known as a
service area interface is then installed to
allow connections to be made more easily
from the wire center to the destination
point and ties up fewer facilities by not
having dedication facilities from the wire
center to every destination point
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The plant is then taken directly to its
destination point or to another small
closure called a pedestal where access can
also be gained to the plant if necessary.
These access points are preferred as they
allow faster repair times for customers and
save telephone operating companies large
amounts of money.
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The plant facilities can be delivered via
underground facilities, either direct buried
or through conduit or in some cases laid
under water, via aerial facilities such as
telephone or power poles, or via
microwave radio signals for long distances
where either of the other two methods is
too costly.
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As Structural Engineers, OSP Engineers
are responsible for the structural design
and placement of cellular towers and
telephone poles as well as calculating pole
capabilities of existing telephone or power
poles new plant is being added onto
Structural calculations are required when boring
under heavy traffic areas such as highways or
when attaching to other structures such as
bridges.
 Shoring also has to be taken into consideration
for larger trenches or pits.
 Conduit structures often include encasements of
slurry that needs to be designed to support the
structure and withstand the environment around
it (soil type, high traffic areas, etc.).
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As Electrical Engineers, OSP Engineers are
responsible for the resistance,
capacitance, and inductance (RCL) design
of all new plant to ensure telephone
service is clear and crisp and data service
is clean as well as reliable.
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Attenuation and loop loss calculations are
required to determine cable length and
size required to provide the service called
for. In addition power requirements have
to be calculated and provided for to power
any electronic equipment being placed in
the field.
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Ground potential has to be taken into
consideration when placing equipment,
facilities, and plant in the field to account
for lightning strikes, high voltage intercept
from improperly grounded or broken
power company facilities, and from various
sources of electromagnetic interference
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As Civil Engineers, OSP Engineers are
responsible for drawing up plans, either by
hand or using Computer Aided Drafting
(CAD) software, for how telecom plant
facilities will be placed.
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Often when working with municipalities
trenching or boring permits are required
and drawings must be made for these.
Often these drawings include about 70%
or so of the detailed information required
to pave a road or add a turn lane to an
existing street. Structural calculations are
required when boring under heavy traffic
areas such as highways or when attaching
to other structures such as bridges
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As Civil Engineers Telecom Engineers
provide the modern communications
backbone for all technological
communications distributed throughout
civilizations today.
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Unique to Telecom Engineering is the use
of air core cable which requires an
extensive network of air handling
equipment such as compressors,
manifolds, regulators and hundreds of
miles of air pipe per system that connects
to pressurized splice cases all designed to
pressurize this special form of copper
cable to keep moisture out and provide a
clean signal to the customer.
The OSP Engineer is the telephone operating
companies’ face and voice to the local
authorities and other utilities.
 OSP Engineers often meet with municipalities,
construction companies and other utility
companies to address their concerns and
educate them about how the telephone utility
works and operates. Additionally, the OSP
Engineer has to secure real estate to place
outside facilities on such as an easement to
place a cross connect box on.
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THANK YOU
Q&A