Telecommunications Network Planning and Maintenance

Telecommunications network operators are on a constant challenge to provide new services which require ubiquitous broadband access. In an attempt to do so, they are faced with many problems such as the network coverage or providing the guaranteed Quality of Service (QoS). Network planning is a multi-objective optimization problem which involves clustering the area of interest by minimizing a cost function which includes relevant parameters, such as installation cost, distance between user and base station, supported traffic, quality of received signal, etc. On the other hand, service assurance deals with the disorders that occur in hardware or software of the managed network. This paper presents a large number of multicriteria techniques that have been developed to deal with different kinds of problems regarding network planning and service assurance. The state of the art presented will help the reader to develop a broader understanding of the problems in the domain

The Political Economy of Cable - "Open Access."

Advocates of "open access" claim that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) should be able to use a cable TV system's bandwidth on the same terms offered to ISPs owned by the cable system. On that view, "open access" mitigates a monopoly bottleneck and encourages the growth of broadband. This paper shows that cable operators do enjoy market power, and do seek to leverage a dominant position in video into the broadband access market by allocating too little bandwidth for Internet access. Yet, rather than protect cable operators from cannibalizing their cable TV revenue, this strategy defends against imposition of common carrier regulation, which would allow system capacity to be appropriated by regulators and rival broadband networks. Ironically, the push for "open access" limits Internet access by encouraging this under-allocation of broadband spectrum, and by introducing coordination problems slowing technology deployment. These effects are empirically evident in the competitive superiority of cable's "closed" platform vis-a-vis "open" DSL networks, and in financial market reactions to key regulatory events and mergers in broadband.

Do market failures hamper the perspectives of broadband?

This report analyses the broadband market and asks whether a specific role of government is necessary. As broadband telecommunication is seen as a source of productivity gains, the European Union and other regions are encouraging the deployment of a secure broadband infrastructure. In the Netherlands, there is some concern whether the supply of broadband capacity will meet the strongly increasing demand. The main conclusions are that presently, given current broadband policy, no considerable market failures exist. Firms have adequate incentives to invest in broadband, partly induced by specific regulation of access to the local copper loop. Hence, there is no need for changes in current broadband policy. Market failures in terms of knowledge spillovers are taken care of by other policies. As the broadband markets are very dynamic, unforeseen developments may emerge such as the appearance of new dominant techniques and market players. The best strategy for the government, in particular the competition authority, is to continuously monitor these markets, making timely intervention easier when needed.

Asymmetric digital subscriber line technology and the future of remote access networking

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Telecommunications Usage in New Zealand: 1993-2003

This report suggests that the telecommunications market in New Zealand is surprisingly mature. We infer that the potential for growth is limited. There has been negligible growth in any of the number of fixed lines either business or residential since 2000. The number of residential lines is growing only in proportion to the number of households indicating that household penetration is now saturated. Business line connections have been constant since approximately August 1999 although there is evidence of substitution away from Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) connections towards Independently Switched Digital Network (ISDN) connections in this market. ISDN is predominantly used for voice access by New Zealand businesses with less than 0.1% of connections being used for data communications in January 2002.While the number of mobile connections has been increasing the total volume of voice-based telephony traffic (local and long distance fixed line and mobile) has settled at a constant level. Diffusion of mobile telephony sits at approximately 75% of the population over 10 years of age and while still growing the rate of growth appears to be slowing implying that this technology is close to saturation as well. Average usage per mobile account is declining indicating that the connection growth that is being recorded is related to users with lower than average demand for the service.The data offer significant evidence of substitution between technologies (fixed line to mobile) for voice traffic. Thus the presumption that mobile and fixed line telephony are separate markets must be questioned. This is particularly evident in the residential market; as the evidence supporting substitution coincides with the introduction of prepay accounts which have been targeted at residential consumers.The only telephony volume to show significant growth is that of dial-up Internet traffic. However even this traffic is showing signs of slowing both on measures of volume per fixed line and volume per Internet Service Provider (ISP) account. Diffusion of this technology is also widespread with nearly 60% of households having connections. Thus this technology may also be approaching maturity in the New Zealand market as with mobile technology new connections represent users with lower than average demand. Whilst there is some evidence of substitution of dial-up Internet access technology with DSL in the business market in the residential market substitution still appears to be dominated by learning effects associated with the applications that consumers use and the individual valuation of time

An Examination of the Evolution of Broadband Technologies in the UK

The aim of this thesis is to examine the reasons due to which Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) became the most widely used technology to deliver broadband connectivity in the United Kingdom (UK). The research examines the outcome starting with events in 1960s when broadband as it is defined today did not exist. The research shows that a combination of factors involving regulatory decisions, changing market conditions, and unexpected technological breakthroughs contributed to the current day mix of broadband technologies in the last mile access in the UK. To interpret the events that have shaped the development, deployment, and adoption of broadband technologies in the UK, the thesis draws from various theoretical ideas related to Science and Technology Studies (STS) to understand and analyse the events. In order to discover and establish the historical context, the thesis employs original, unpublished interviews along with the extensive use of archival material and secondary sources. Influenced by some of the core ideas of social constructionist studies, this research combines concepts from economic studies of technological change along with themes involving maintenance of technology, path dependence, and the role of bandwagon effect. These research threads are combined to understand the way development, deployment, and adoption of broadband technologies took place in the UK. The research is intended to contribute to the understanding of technology in a constantly changing regulatory and socio-economic environment and how it is shaped by multiple factors. The targeted readership is researchers, analysts, and decision makers working with broadband technology, telecommunications policy, and STS. Further research is suggested in the form of studies of wireless broadband technologies and the role of regulatory policies in the development of the UK communications market

Broadband Technologies on Residential Acces

The diffusion of broadband technologies is a hot topic for developed and many developing countries. Although the provision of service has many similar aspects, the overall and specific penetration of broadband technologies varies significantly in these countries. This study aims to examine the place of users' perceptions in the broadband issue by studying the development of the selected technologies and national policies in the light of the general information technology diffusion aspects.Diffusion of Technology, Broadband Technologies, Development of National Policies and Pricing Issues