Telecoms industry may soon have to get to grips with new changes

According to the British Security Industry Association the changes that an increased emphasis on a fibre-optic based infrastructure will bring is something that the telecoms industry must quickly get to grips with following BT’s recent announcement that it is revising its plans on 21CN.

The technical director for BSIA, Alex Carmichael said “Over the past couple of years the industry has worked hard to work out the impact of 21CN on security equipment. Following the recent announcement of BT’s revised plans and the publication of Ofcom’s consultation document, it is now imperative that we quickly understand the impact ‘fibre to the cabinet’ and ‘fibre to the premises’ will bring.”

BT has recently said it will be investing billions into the deployment of a fibre-optic network throughout the UK and has already begun the rollout of a number of Fibre-to-the-home projects throughout that country.

Mr Carmichael also added “The work we have undertaken to date will not have been wasted as BT’s exchanges will be transferred to 21CN when the current equipment reaches the end of its life or when customer demand requires it. However, BT is looking to invest in an infrastructure capable of delivering super-fast broadband over fibre to about 40% of the population by 2012.”

Although these changes will be welcome by most residential users as it will provide them with much faster broadband connection than they are currently getting using BT old copper wire telephone system the implications for businesses may be a little more far reaching as the technology they currently employ may soon need to be changed to accommodate the new broadband network technology.

Carmichael advised “These changes raise a number of issues for the industry concerning: the gateways between networks; the introduction of 21CN on a smaller scale; the need to test equipment on a fibre infrastructure; and the risks for industry associated with the dual-running of an IP and a PSTN network. BSIA members have been provided with information on the latest changes and will be inputting into the Association’s response to the Ofcom consultation. We will then be working with all interested parties to ensure that the industry is able to quickly get to grips with the changes and prepare their businesses and their customers for what lies ahead. We would welcome input from the wider industry as this project moves forward.”

Source – Politics.co.uk