Auckland apartment as own UFB zone?

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Nebbie

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#966073 13-Jan-2014 12:10

I find it distressing that in New Zealand for our Fibre rollout we have targeted Single Dwelling units over multi Dwelling units.

Hong Kong Broadband over the past 5-7 Years has targeted Multi Dwelling Units to get the highest penetration possible, While the CAPEX is high the OPEX is lower than copper. Hong Kong Broadband is only just starting to install single dwelling units.

While HK and NZ have very different population density the principal is the same and looks like there's no way ill be getting fibre until after 2020 :(

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Nebukadnessar

Zeon

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#966085 13-Jan-2014 12:27

I would agree that I'm surprised Apartments haven't been fast tracked to get higher uptake per CAPEX investment. While don't quote me on this, I have a feeling that the cost of supplying to an apartment in a building of many is less than $3000 + per property installation cost of individual dwellings/premises

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Beccara

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#966108 13-Jan-2014 12:45

You'd be surprised, I've been invovled in wireless deployments where concrete ceiling and floors have meant adding new services (such as building wide smoke detectors) would have resulted in a 3 month evac per floor to rip up the carpet and channel drill the concrete floor.

MDU's are a real mix bag of easy to "ain't ever gonna happen"

Most problems are the result of previous solutions...

All comment's I make are my own personal opinion and do not in any way, shape or form reflect the views of current or former employers unless specifically stated

chevrolux

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#966116 13-Jan-2014 12:57

I find it distressing that in New Zealand for our Fibre rollout we have targeted Single Dwelling units over multi Dwelling units.

Decent sized MDU's really only exist in Auckland and Wellington.

There would be far far more benefit working on city wide coverage. Installs are much simpler. Costs are down. And they get many more customers as currently the install is free until 2015 for sections up to 200m from the boundary.

Where are they rolling out stuff in Auckland? Inner city or outer suburbs? I would suggest it would be far simpler to roll out in the suburbs than dealing with inner city civil work requirements.

I tend to think that is why Palmerston North has got such a massive fibre footprint already compared with other cities because our streets are all "low traffic" suburban areas so trenching is easy. No road closures etc.

sbiddle

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#966125 13-Jan-2014 13:05

Nebbie: I find it distressing that in New Zealand for our Fibre rollout we have targeted Single Dwelling units over multi Dwelling units.

Hong Kong Broadband over the past 5-7 Years has targeted Multi Dwelling Units to get the highest penetration possible, While the CAPEX is high the OPEX is lower than copper. Hong Kong Broadband is only just starting to install single dwelling units.

While HK and NZ have very different population density the principal is the same and looks like there's no way ill be getting fibre until after 2020 :(

My understanding of both Hong Kong (and Singapore) is that a lot of building owners / developers who actually fund the internal networking in the buildings rather than the telco having to actually do the installation. Many deployments are also Ethernet, Coax or VDSL2 within the building rather than true "FTTH" deployments.

Nebbie

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#966129 13-Jan-2014 13:18

sbiddle:

My understanding of both Hong Kong (and Singapore) is that a lot of building owners / developers who actually fund the internal networking in the buildings rather than the telco having to actually do the installation. Many deployments are also Ethernet, Coax or VDSL2 within the building rather than true "FTTH" deployments.

Yes I believe it Fibre to the comms room then VDSL2+ up the riser....
New Buildings have the infrastructure built from day one...

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Nebukadnessar

wired

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#966551 14-Jan-2014 08:12

Apartment buildings are really good if there is high uptake but really expansive if only one person in the building is using it. With UFB, the LFC doesn't sell to the End Users so it can't go around selling to other users to increase the uptake (it can do marketing though) and make it more desirable overall.

Also the consent process is really long and there is a special process to go through with MDUs as described in the Telecommunications Act.

So for the time and expense in connecting one customer in an apartment, you can connect lots more SDUs hence why they are probably focusing on those.

Once the first customer is connected in a MDU, then the subsequent tenancies would be very good and quick to connect.

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sbiddle

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#966555 14-Jan-2014 08:27

wired:

Once the first customer is connected in a MDU, then the subsequent tenancies would be very good and quick to connect.

I'd have to disagree with this. I know plenty of apartment buildings where getting fibre to the comms room is the easy part. It's getting the fibre internally in the building to each apartment that's going to take all the time and effort.

oktdavid

11 posts

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#967186 14-Jan-2014 22:35

The way that MDU is handled compared to SDU is different.

Although the UFB network is installed along the in the area and you find out that UFB is available, in order for Chorus to connect the MDU with fibre, they have to go through a consenting process. This means that they have to get the consent from all property owners or the body corp before they are even allowed to design for cabling. This process may sometimes take months especially in cases where there are a few owners who refuse to give consents or cases where the property is rented and the actual owner is nowhere to be contacted.

Based on property law, Chorus is not permitted to install until consent is provided.

Also in reply to Debbie, HKBN's business model is to install their ONT in the Telecoms Equipment Room and then provide services through the existing copper network within the MDU. This is different from the NZ model, which is a contractual obligation to CFH, where the ONT must be installed inside the customer premise.

oktdavid

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#967188 14-Jan-2014 22:39

sbiddle:
wired:

Once the first customer is connected in a MDU, then the subsequent tenancies would be very good and quick to connect.

I'd have to disagree with this. I know plenty of apartment buildings where getting fibre to the comms room is the easy part. It's getting the fibre internally in the building to each apartment that's going to take all the time and effort.

Once consents is obtained, Chorus actually wires up the whole building up to the building risers. So it is correct to say that the connection is quick after the first customer because the tech will only need to connect from the riser to that customer compared to the first customer where they will have to bring fibre into the building, install the comms room and get all the cabling in the riser.

oktdavid

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#967191 14-Jan-2014 22:44

Beccara: You'd be surprised, I've been invovled in wireless deployments where concrete ceiling and floors have meant adding new services (such as building wide smoke detectors) would have resulted in a 3 month evac per floor to rip up the carpet and channel drill the concrete floor.

MDU's are a real mix bag of easy to "ain't ever gonna happen"

Totally agree. I have seen MDUs which are built in the 80's or 90's where there wasn't really any MDU requirements and those which were built in haste to provide housing for those affected by leaky building.
I have seen MDU without risers, no cable conduits, concrete floors, no false ceilings, etc... which will be a cabling tech's nightmare...
Had to drill through the concrete stairwell and get structural engineers to do x-ray scans to ensure we dont drill through steel beams... the building was in a mess..

oktdavid

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#967194 14-Jan-2014 22:52

sbiddle:
Nebbie: I find it distressing that in New Zealand for our Fibre rollout we have targeted Single Dwelling units over multi Dwelling units.

Hong Kong Broadband over the past 5-7 Years has targeted Multi Dwelling Units to get the highest penetration possible, While the CAPEX is high the OPEX is lower than copper. Hong Kong Broadband is only just starting to install single dwelling units.

While HK and NZ have very different population density the principal is the same and looks like there's no way ill be getting fibre until after 2020 :(

My understanding of both Hong Kong (and Singapore) is that a lot of building owners / developers who actually fund the internal networking in the buildings rather than the telco having to actually do the installation. Many deployments are also Ethernet, Coax or VDSL2 within the building rather than true "FTTH" deployments.

Singapore is actually doing FTTH rather than VDSL as what HKBN does. However they have an easier time with consents because Netco (which Singtel is part of the consortium) was working with the Housing Development Board "a gov department" which is sort of like the body corp here. As part of their MDU build, they were able to offer free installs to the units if they provide consent. Those who do not give consent can opt out and later pay for the install if they want it in the future.
In NZ, even if we provide such an option, even if 1 person do not give consent, nobody in the MDU will get connection.

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