COMMTECH 2008: Brownfield FTTH deployment is difficult and expensive

KELOWNA – Bringing fibre to new homes in greenfield developments “is a no-brainer,” SaskTel’s FTTP planner Mike Nijman told CommTech Show and Seminars delegates Wednesday afternoon. But bringing it to older neighbourhoods, especially where it has to be buried, presents a whole host of costly problems. “This is an area where fibre to the home is a very big challenge,” he said. The company recently tested installing FTTH to 200 homes in Regina, in a neighbourhood where the easements were in back yards and all utilities, because it looks nicer that way – are underground. “We had our troubles with...