Adding Value: PON Optimization Services

PON: A Rising Star in the Broadband Market

Alarge-capacity, high-speed passive optical network (PON) is an ideal solution to last-mile bandwidth bottlenecks. PON is a rising star in the broadband market because it is economical, simple, and scalable.

China has 513 million internet users, the highest number in the world. By 2017, China is expected to have the world’s largest number of fixed bandwidth households. However, network speed in mainland China is 1.4 Mbps, which is far slower than the world average. FTTH coverage in China also lags far behind that of developed countries. In addition to existing high-bandwidth services—including Mega Eyes, video on demand (VOD), large file downloading, interactive games, online video entertainment, online virus scanning, and network hard disks—IPTV  will drive broadband demand in China. The Broadband China strategy was devised to resolve the conflict between growing broadband demand and limited network speed. With its technical advantages, PON boosts broadband speeds.

PON: The Broadband Battlefield

The Broadband China strategy, which was devised by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), has greatly promoted broadband. China Telecom, China Unicom, and China Mobile have the goals of increasing broadband speed and transitioning from copper to fiber networks. This PON battle has brought to the fore the strengths of each of the big three carriers.

China Telecom is the biggest broadband provider, with broadband comprising 25% of its total revenue. As well as increasing broadband speeds, China Telecom is also providing high-bandwidth services to attract broadband subscribers and strengthen its existing base of subscribers who rely on reliable, high-speed optical networks.

China Unicom is the second-largest carrier in China. It has kept up with the broadband competition by attracting new FTTH subscribers and launching projects quickly. China Unicom has relied on flexible fixed-mobile packages and a high-bandwidth, low-price strategy to increase its market share. China Unicom has invested RMB 100 billion in 3G and optical broadband deployment and improving the capabilities of its existing networks in order to support its market expansion.

China Mobile is fighting for broadband market share by offering flexible, low-priced services. It sparked a price war by cutting broadband tariffs by 50% without compromising service quality.

Intensified competition has delivered to subscribers faster, cheaper, more stable network services, and the operational quality of PON has become the carriers’ main battlefield.

Optimizing PON for Market Expansion and Network Efficiency

Network quality and capabilities are the focus of the big three carriers. Only a high-quality network can attract and retain subscribers. Fast FTTH deployment lays a solid foundation for market expansion; however, challenges, including OAM difficulty and maintaining QoS, when rapidly deploying complex networks. A scientific system needs to be developed to evaluate and optimize network operations. This would improve network quality and help in service development.

PON optimization is a comprehensive, customized technical service that includes network evaluation, customization, and optimization. A PON carries a variety of services, including broadband access, IPTV, and VoIP. Therefore, service quality needs to be guaranteed through reasonable planning and technologies. PON optimization involves identifying weaknesses in a network or service. These weaknesses may affect reliability, security, or compliance.PON optimization allows an operator to take immediate action on congested or malfunctioning devices and links so that further problems are avoided. A systematic, standard PON optimization service can help carriers build a stable, high-quality, cost-effective PON.

ZTE’s PON optimization service can enhance network health, traffic and resources, QoS, and network security. Professional tools, such as health check and analysis system, NetNumen U31, and easy traffic platform, are used for precise insights that are standards-compliant. ZTE’s PON optimization service supports network planning, network deployment, and marketing. Traffic detection and analysis provides the required data for network planning and deployment. Analysis of real network traffic and resource utilization is helpful for identifying highly effective network devices and fast-growing areas. This helps an operator plan for investment, capacity expansion, and network deployment. Identifying high-traffic ports also helps an operator pinpoint valuable customers. Areas of low resource utilization can be detected for further market segmentation and strengthening regional marketing. The extended features of ZTE’s PON optimization services allow an operator to expand more smartly and aggressively.

In the burgeoning broadband market, PON optimization services will improve network efficiency, reduce capex and opex, and ensure network operability, scalability, profitability and sustainability.