The recent AfricaCom virtual tech event saw Huawei launch its innovative AirPON solution, which reuses existing wireless sites to quickly and inexpensively create fiber optic access networks for operators.
Fiber broadband has become an essential service, especially during the Covid-19 period, with strong demand for FTTH (Fiber to the Home) deployment in African countries. However, building the FTTH network faces enormous challenges.
Traditionally, operators have had to deploy centralized office equipment rooms and have huge optical cables to reach users. This requires a large-scale initial investment and the resolution of complex issues such as acquiring the right-of-way. As a result, building the network has always been long and expensive.
Huawei’s AirPON solution specifically addresses these challenges, providing cost-effective FTTH coverage.
According to Huawei’s Vice President of Southern Africa, Dean Yu, “With the 300,000 existing base stations in Africa, the AirPON solution can be optimized to achieve low cost and fast coverage. It reuses existing sites, fiber optics and power supplies, and can make 10 million home fiber access connections. Huawei’s AirPON solution will help high-speed fiber connections in Africa grow, bridge the digital divide and enable digital life in Africa. “
Presenting a suite of AirPON use cases, Huawei’s vice-director of access network marketing and solutions sales, Charles Qiu, cited the key benefits of automatic full-service network division and Valuable area identification, optimal route selection, network planning and design, in total. cost estimation and automatic calculation of optimal routes.
OpenServe’s head of technology lifecycle management, Sunil Piyarlall, said the challenge for operators was to quickly deploy a quality network while keeping costs under control.
He said OpenServe tested the Huawei Quick ODN solution in its labs and conducted a field test in Johannesburg. Tests showed that the project was delivered 30 percent faster than conventional fiber crosslinking.
“The pre-terminated cables facilitated a smaller, less skilled workforce, while maintaining an optical power budget within specification,” he said.
Franklin Kano Ocharo, head of home business for Kenya’s leading mobile operator Safaricom, said Safaricom has been able to leverage mobile sites for fiber deployment and business development and is achieving successful fixed-mobile convergence .
“Mobile sites are the biggest advantage of network operators for FTTH deployment because they make it easier for the mobile operator to start FTTH business,” he said. “By operating a mobile data network, the operator can already gain insight into customer data needs and is in a better position to switch to fiber to provide more bandwidth to meet customer needs. Based on the information on mobile data usage and market assessment, we can better assess FTTH adoption in different areas. “
Regarding construction, he added that “in the face of the challenge of developing heavy infrastructure disrupting fiber service in Kenya, we are mitigating the impact on customer service by densifying online terminals (OLTs) with Mini OLTs deployed in mobile sites closer to the customer. We have chosen Huawei as one of our key partners on this journey because we are able to leverage their dynamism and innovation to address different challenges that require the construction of unique systems.
Also speaking at the Home Broadband session at AfricaCom 2020, Vodafone Ghana Fixed Network CEO Dikah Sylvester elaborated on the benefits of the solution.
“With AirPON, the technology can reduce the cost of FTTH deployment by 29%, compared to the traditional approach. If you opt for AirPON technology, you will save time and money. AirPON is the way forward for FTTH deployment, ”Sylvester said.
Following Huawei’s first release of the AirPON solution in London in February, 45 operators around the world have adopted it in building networks. The solution includes Huawei’s OptiXaccess series OLT Blades, Digital Quick ODN (DQ ODN) and OptiXstar series eAI ONTs. It reuses existing mobile sites to create fiber optic access networks and has the following advantages:
Site Acquisition: Outer blade OLTs can be installed on existing mobile poles or tower sites to share the wireless backhaul network for upstream transmission. Sites can be selected quickly and accurately, speeding up projects up to three months.
The DQ ODN network offers digital management, pre-connection technology and parallel construction without fiber splicing. Technicians can quickly master the installation and maintenance of a fiber optic access network. Network construction is 70% more efficient and ODN sunk cost is 20% lower.
The eaAI ONT intelligently identifies types of services and uses Wi-Fi 6 slicing technology to deliver dedicated channels for VIP services, such as online education and gaming. Operators can now monetize the user experience, earning an additional average revenue per user of $ 10.
With the accelerating trend towards fixed-mobile convergence, fixed networks are the cornerstone of full-service operations. Meanwhile, the construction of fiber optic access networks is accelerating all over the world.
Huawei continues to innovate in full-fiber access technologies and provide sustainable and scalable solutions to help operators succeed in their businesses.
