COSTA: A model to analyze next generation broadband access platform competition

Abstract

The roll-out of next generation access networks is a complex process which depends not only on technical or commercial factors, but also on market conditions and regulatory decisions. The path adopted by the different agents towards the new networks will not be homogeneous, neither about technologies and platforms, nor the commercial model or roll-out strategies. These elements will depend on expectations on investment recovery, competitive dynamics of different markets and specific issues confronted by the different agents.With the aim of addressing these issues from a technoeconomic perspective, the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, with the collaboration of Telefónica, has developed a set of models called COSTA, which calculate the costs of rolling out next generation access networks for different platforms under different regulatory and geographic scenarios.The objective of this article is to present the COSTA model and the analysis of some aspects about the potential of competition among alternative access platforms for the roll-out of next generation access networks.Index Terms-Broadband networks, ICT regulation, next generation access networks, techno-economic analysis.

Techno-economic Assessment in Communications: Models for Access Network Technologies

“…As a result of this aforementioned consolidation with the ECOSYS model, a dissemination effect occurs beyond the projects with public funding from the EU, which is detected by identifying new proprietary models as the model [50] for PLC technology (Power Line Communications), [51] for optical networks, [52] for 3G-LTE, the BATET model [53][5], and its subsequent evolution distinguishing between fixed and nomadic layers, the latter for mobile users [3], identifying also general input parameters in which there is a slight orientation to end user incorporating bandwidth transmission and reception requirements. Outside the public funding of the EU, the COSTA proprietary model [32] arises modeling costs of access network and based on MUSE, an extension from TONIC for the whole access and aggregation network [21], which runs parallel to ECOSYS project. More proprietary models appear like [26] oriented to optical access technologies comparison, and [25], [28] for hybrid networks that combine FTTx and WiFi or WiMAX.…”

Measurement and Modeling Techniques for the Fourth Generation Broadband Over Copper

“…The costs for installation, digging and putting the fiber into every subscriber house are so significant that the required investment is disproportional to the current market (Odling et al, 2009;van den Brink, 2010;Vergara et al, 2010) making it impracticable. So, there will be, in most cases, a lack for the last 50-300m transmission channel, which can be easily used by the existing telephony wiring.…”

Advanced Topics in Measurements

“…It is important to notice that the use of FTTH does not necessary mean that fiber is deployed all the way to a point inside the home. The costs for installation, digging and putting the fiber into every subscriber house are so significant that the required investment is disproportional to the current market (Odling et al, 2009;van den Brink, 2010;Vergara et al, 2010) making it impracticable. So, there will be, in most cases, a lack for the last 50-300m transmission channel, which can be easily used by the existing telephony wiring.…”