Communications Alliance, the peak body for the Australian communications industry, today released for comment three draft papers addressing the National Broadband Network’s rollout to End User Premises and greenfields estates.
- Draft Release 2 National Broadband Network End User Premises Handbook
Developed by the End User Premises working group as part of the Communications Alliance NBN Project, the NBN End User Premises Handbook describes the critical details of each component of the network and equipment to be used in the end customers’ premises. It provides a common architecture and language for further planning between the communications industry, construction industry, NBN Co, government and regulators.
“The Handbook is an important step toward ensuring the entire industry can have a clear understanding of what the NBN and its extensions will look like, all the way to the different communications devices in customers’ homes and businesses,” said Communications Alliance CEO, John Stanton.
“It is vital that we all work from a single blueprint, to enable the many involved parties to coordinate their activities and produce the most efficient and beneficial outcome for users of next-generation communications services right across Australia.”
The Draft Release 2 NBN End User Premises Handbook builds on the Release 1 Handbook published in March 2010. It has been updated to include:
- Wireless and satellite access in addition to fixed access network technologies, point-to-multipoint Passive Optical Network and point-to-point Active Ethernet;
- New sections on distribution and installation practices; and
- Guidance on testing and diagnostic service arrangements
2. Draft National Broadband Network – Fibre To The Premises Planning – Express Conduit
The draft guidelines for greenfields estates developed by the Early Stage Deployments working group are intended for property developers, network designers, construction companies and carriers.
The release of these guidelines is timely, given the introduction of the Federal Government’s Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Fibre Deployment) Bill 2010 and its objective to have the legislative framework in place from 1 July 2010.
The Draft NBN – Fibre To The Premises Planning – Express Conduit paper provides carriers with a guide to the installation of new main conduits and the interconnection of conduits with those of another carrier.
Express conduits connect multiple developments and are often located on arterial roads and contain higher capacity lings for backhaul or transport purposes. They link major network elements including network buildings, fibre distribution hubs, cross connect facilities and access multiplexers. Distribution networks connect with express conduits to distribute telecommunications through new estates.
3. Draft National Broadband Network – Fibre Ready Distribution Networks
The Draft NBN - Fibre Ready Distribution Networks paper outlines the issues associated with distribution networks, including the underground plant facility required to house network cables for safe and reliable operation.
“The Handbook has been warmly welcomed by those industries with an interest in the end-user environment. This second release includes a number of significant updates and is a credit to the End User Premises working group and its commitment to providing industry, government and regulators with the most comprehensive information available,” commented Mr Stanton.
“The Early Stage Deployments working group should also be congratulated for its terrific work which will guide the rollout of fibre in greenfields estates. We know there is great demand for these documents among developers and network operators, especially given the planned legislative changes.”
The three draft papers are available from the Communications Alliance website at: http://commsalliance.com.au/Documents/public-comment
Public comment is invited on all three draft papers and submissions are due by 5pm on Friday 21 May 2010. Responses to the papers will be published on the Communications Alliance website.
The Communications Alliance NBN Project was established in July 2009 and includes seven working groups: NBN Reference Model; Wholesale Services; Early Stage Deployments; End User Premises; Operational; Technical; and End User Migration.
In addition to the Release 2 National Broadband Network End User Premises Handbook, Communications Alliance has published Release 1 versions of its NBN Reference Architecture, NBN Wholesale Service Definition Framework – Ethernet and NBN – Overview of Technical Standards papers. Current draft papers include: NBN – Optical Access; NBN – Fibre To The Premises Planning – Express Conduit and NBN – Fibre Ready Distribution Networks.
ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS ALLIANCE
Communications Alliance is the peak body for the Australian communications industry. It presents a unified voice for its members in public policy, facilitates industry solutions to industry issues, and provides up-to-date information on industry issues. Communications Alliance is also leading the industry's response to the National Broadband Network implementation. For further information see www.commsalliance.com.au