Is the focus for E Fiber now exchanges only

danny004 · 12-05-2015 02:52PM #1

Hi All
My exchange has just gone live for E-Fiber but unfortunately I am connected to a local cabinet about 300 meters away. The where and when map has those cabinets listed for upgrade but with no timeline.
My question is since Eircom have started to upgrade exchanges have all the local cabinets been removed from scope until the exchanges have been upgraded.
Its probably been asked before but the related threads are now so big I cant find a similar query
Thanks

Deagol · 12-05-2015 04:37PM

I think you fundamentally misunderstand how 'efiber' works.

Fibre optic cables are run from the local exchange to new cabinets co-located next to the old cabinets.

The fibre is connected into 'fibre routers' in those cabinets and linked across to the copper telephone lines in the old cabinets.

So, your copper telephone line that used to connect all the way back to the local exchange now only goes as far as the cabinet before it is transmitted via fibre.

So!! If your exchange is efibre enabled then at least some of the cabinets around it must be also enabled!

If none of the cabinets are showing as live around it, then I would guess the map is just not updated correctly. I'd advise to ring Eircom to check if they can supply efibre.

If most cabinets are showing as enabled but yours isn't, the bad news could be that they decided for some reason that that cabinet wasn't suitable for upgrading.

ED E · 12-05-2015 06:06PM

No Deagol you misunderstand him.

They've been doing works to place cabs but now that direct fed has the green light for non LLU exchanges they're going back and fitting VDSL racks in the exchanges beside the fibre aggregation. With half the effort of installing a cab for 200 lines they can fit an 800 line rack unit. This will very likely keep knn busy for a good while. Most likely the build teams doing civils will continue that end but they won't commission the cabs until there's capacity to meet appointments.

So yes op, expect FTTC to be on the back foot due to EVDSL imo.

Deagol · 12-05-2015 06:38PM

But surely they won't enable an exchange on it's own first without at least some of the cabs locally being also enabled??

I can understand that going back and enabling direct fed lines in areas where the cabs where already done would be important but I don't understand why they would enable an exchange on it's own?

ED E · 12-05-2015 07:05PM

It makes total sense.

Set up NGA backhaul.
Set up racks.
Begin deploying cabs.

Theres no work for VDSL racks while theirs a mountain of blowing fibre, doing civils, getting planning permission, having ESB fit power etc for the cabs. Path of least resistance.

Also in some areas cabs may only have 50 odd active lines, not worth bothering with a 200 port DSLAM for them when theres busy areas chomping at the bit.

degsie · 12-05-2015 07:20PM

ED E wrote: »

They've been doing works to place cabs but now that direct fed has the green light for non LLU

Does this mean that eircom are still blocked from eVDSL in LLU exchanges?

ED E · 12-05-2015 08:16PM

degsie wrote: »

Does this mean that eircom are still blocked from eVDSL in LLU exchanges?

Thats the guess yes, going on BKs list of 70 odd phase 1 eVDSL exchanges. It may have already been ironed out behind closed doors but comreg are yet to publish anything.

It essentially shuts BT down in the south, so its not really surprising that theyd fight it tooth and nail.

wicklow_hills · 27-05-2015 11:59PM

can you spell out for me why BT have been fighting to block exchange based lines so hard, how does it impact their wholesale business ? (they are not a retail ISP)

my understanding is approx 500 exchanges currently blocked, that's almost half total exchanges

BT don't have kit in 500 exchanges ? (there's not 500 unbundled exchanges)?

the other side of this is why Eircom have been so slow in coming out with data on number of customers impacted, have not published results or any details on the x4 evdsl test exchanges, have not published the independent report that showed no tech issues, etc

ED E · 28-05-2015 12:06AM

They wont publish it, theyll just furnish involved parties with the info.

Its not blocked on any exchanges that we know of, its only just started rolling out to the first chunk so far.

VDSL2 = Vectoring = DSLAMS Must be linked = 1 Wholesale Operator = Bye Bye BT.

Is the focus for E Fiber now exchanges only

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