This document discusses technology options for broadband connectivity. It considers wireless options like WiFi that were initially used but faced interference issues. It also discusses fibre options like fibre to the home or cabinet. The document outlines Alston Moor's history starting with a WiFi network and efforts to upgrade equipment to address problems. It details the various hardware used over time for wireless backhaul and at customer premises, as well as fibre equipment options. In the end, it suggests a mixture of technologies may be best to balance costs and reliability.

1. TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS

2. TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS
Wireless
Fibre to the Home
Fibre to the Cabinet

3. Take into account
Your vision
Funding – how much can be invested, what can
you afford
Running costs
Environment
Community feeling
FINDING THE RIGHT MIX

4. WiFi based with connection into
school
 Good start
 Established relay points around
Alston Moor
 Interference became a growing
problem
 Demarcation of problems with
customer equipment
 Flexible and works on multiple
devices
 CLEO link from County Council
WHERE WE STARTED

5. Proxim equipment upgraded
backbone links of the network
Upgrade customer equipment to
work in 5.8Ghz band
 More control
 Higher bandwidth
Still some interference problems
Impossible to increase backhau
WIRELESS UPGRADE

6. Cumbria and Lancashire Education Online
(CLEO)
Northumberland County Council / Virgin
Media
Virgin Media
BACKHAUL

7. Mixture of technologies
Cisco Aironet 350 series (2.4Ghz)
Proxim Tsunami (5.8Ghz)
Ceragon Microwave links
Ubiquiti
Azotel Management System
WIRELESS

8. FIBRE
Fibre
Underground Emtelle fibre and
ducting
Overground Corning optisnap
Calix end user equipment

9. CORNING

10. EMTELLE - DUCTING

11. ACTIVE EQUIPMENT

12. Wireless
 Faster to deploy
 Low up front cost
 Needs replacing after a few years
 Interference issues
 Higher management costs
Fibre
 Expensive to deploy in remote areas
 Less prone to vagaries of rural power
 More reliable service
 Sufficient capacity to last for 30 years
 End user equipment lasts 10 years
SUMMARY