OFS today introduced the Access Advantage System, a comprehensive platform designed to enable economical optical connectivity to homes, businesses, and multiple dwelling units (MDUs), including those in previously hard to reach areas.
The system supports all Fiber-To-The-Subscriber (FTTx) architectures, including Passive Optical Network (PON) and Point-to-Point (P2P) implementations, and all relevant standards that are currently in place. Access Advantage-based networks enable revenue generating services such as secure high-speed business data, HDTV broadcast, instant video on demand, and high-resolution Internet video games. According to OFS representatives, Access Advantage is the first FTTx solution to combine lowest cost per bit fibers and innovative cabling and apparatus into a total system.
The Access Advantage system significantly lowers the fiber deployment costs associated with the FTTx build with new optical cable technologies that can use diverse right-of-ways to connect the service provider to its customers. Among these technologies are the air-blowing, optimized DuctSaver FX and MiDia FX micro-cable designs, in which small fiber cables are blown into existing duct networks, eliminating the cost of invasive and disruptive excavation, and procurement of rights of way. Initial investment costs are likewise kept to a minimum as fiber can be deployed as needed based on customer demand, claims the company. In addition, OFS' new PowerGuide TTH all dielectric self-supporting cables (ADSS) ease the rapid deployment of aerial networks.
"Anticipating customer needs, we wanted our FTTx solution to be packaged specifically to their unique requirements in order to make FTTx a reality," explains Paul Neuhart, president of the Optical Cable Division at OFS. "This means we can tailor the packages to significantly lower the cost of FTTx deployment to speed adoption of the technology."
In addition, the Access Advantage solution includes OFS' AllWave fiber and LaserWave fiber to help lower the service provider's cost per bit over the lifetime of the cabling system. AllWave fiber enables the use of CWDM in the 1400-nm wavelength band to support lower cost services to businesses and homes connected to PONs or local Ethernet switches. LaserWave multimode fibers enable the use of lower cost optical transceivers to lower the cost for distributing connections from local Ethernet switches to homes and businesses.
"Access Advantage combines lowest cost per bit enabling AllWave and LaserWave fibers with flexible, cost effective cabling and apparatus to provide the optimum fiber to the home and business solution," adds Janice Haber, vice president, Systems Engineering at OFS. "For example, an Access Advantage PON using AllWave fiber can serve some business customers with a standard offering, while others can receive dedicated wavelengths using low cost CWDM technology."
The Access Advantage System is the ideal solution for Local Exchange Carriers and non-traditional carriers, say OFS representatives, including municipalities, utility companies, and real estate developers seeking to offer revenue generating FTTx service.
The Access Advantage System includes all the necessary elements: optical cable, apparatus, service training, and field support. It supports all relevant industry standards, including the ITU G983.1, ITU G983.3, the draft IEEE 802.3ah Ethernet in the First Mile, as well as proprietary implementations. In addition, all Access Advantage products comply with relevant ISO, Telcordia, IEC, and TIA standards for fiber, cable, and apparatus.
For more information about OFS (Norcross, GA), visit the company's Web site at www.ofsoptics.com.