----- Original Message -----
From: "Owen DeLong" <owen@delong.com>
On Feb 11, 2013, at 19:24 , Frank Bulk <frnkblk@iname.com> wrote:
Not if the ONT is mounted on the outside of the home, and just copper services brought into the home.
Who cares whether it's copper or fiber you push through the penetration.
What I care about is not that it's optical -- it's that *it's a patchcord*. If the ONT is per ISP, and the patchpoint is an *external* jackbox, then that thru-wall cable has to be a patchcord, not drop cable -- and the ISP field tech will have to work it. *This* *will* cause the installation reliability problems that Scott is scared of. No, either the ONT goes on the outside wall and we poke cat 6, or the drop cable goes inside to a jack box for an interior ONT.
I see no reason not to have the residential install tech that normally extends the demarc and/or installs whatever required IW (IF?) solution shouldn't do this.
Hopefully that explains my concern.
As others have pointed out, I see good reason for the muni to operate the L1 plant as a natural monopoly. Time and time again, we've seen that an L1 plant requires very high density or nearly 100% market share to be economically viable. Even in the case of very high density you still usually only get a minute number of L1 providers and almost never more than 2 per media type (rarely even more than 1).
I honestly don't actually expect any L1 providers. But that doesn't mean I'm willing to foreclose the possibility.
However, when it comes to inside wiring (or fiber), I see no benefit to not leaving that to the first service provider to install each residence and possibly even being redone for every install. Some providers may use ONTs, others may not. (ONT is, after all AE/PON specific and there's no reason a provider couldn't drop a 24 port Gig-E switch in the colo with a 10G uplink (or a stack of them) and sell Gig connections on regular 1000baseFX (or LX or SX or whatever) service.
Sure.
I'm not saying that's necessarily a good business model, but, I'm saying that the muni really should avoid encumbering its L1 offering with any additional technologies anywhere.
Yup; I've been saying that right along. That's why I'd prefer to do the install as optical patch/interior, if I can sell it. Doesn't mean I don't understand why that might be troublesome. That, in turn doesn't mean I can't coil the tail in a box, and poke it through on order.
If they want to run L2 or L3 service of last resort, I have no problem with that, but, it should be completely separate from their L1 offering and should avoid any blurring of the lines.
I believe, Owen, that that's the first time I've heard you extend that opinion to L2; everyone had me pretty much convinced that my plan to offer L2 was not likely to cause competitive pressure in the way the L3 service would. Had I misunderstood you? Cheers, -- jra -- Jay R. Ashworth Baylink jra@baylink.com Designer The Things I Think RFC 2100 Ashworth & Associates http://baylink.pitas.com 2000 Land Rover DII St Petersburg FL USA #natog +1 727 647 1274