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The push to move the UK's connectivity networks away from copper-based lines and on to full fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) is finally starting to gather pace. In the last year or so, hundreds of millions of pounds of investment has been committed to this rollout, and the number of firms looking to build such networks continues to grow.
However, while the benefits of developing full fibre networks may be felt for decades to come as the UK prepares for a gigabit-capable future, there are also a number of barriers that will need to be overcome before this is a reality.
With the UK growing from a very small base and millions more properties to cover, there will certainly be a lot of work ahead if the government's goal of retiring the last of the UK's copper cables by 2033 is to be met.
Some of these issues have been highlighted in a recent report from the FTTH Council Europe, which advocates on behalf of the technology across the continent. In a recent report, it described some of the benefits that can be expected as a result of moving to full fibre, as well as some of the issues that could hinder progress.
The benefits of full fibre networks
While the most obvious benefits of the move away from copper networks will be the increased speed and capacity users are able to enjoy, these are far from the only reasons for moving to fibre technology.
Among the other positives highlighted by the FTTH Council Europe's report were the increased reliability and efficiency of fibre networks, which will be good news for both end-users and network operators.
For instance, the study stated that fibre is between 70 and 80 per cent more reliable than copper, which means drastically reduced failure rates and lower downtime for users. At the same time, it costs between 40 and 60 per cent less to maintain than copper.
A large part of this is due to the improved efficiency fibre cabling offers. The report stated that switching off copper results in energy savings of between 40 and 60 per cent due to the lower power consumption of fibre.
Finally, it also highlighted higher customer satisfaction with full fibre networks. It revealed that among consumers that continue to use copper DSL connections, just 50 per cent report being happy with their service. However, this rises to 82 per cent among full fibre users, with higher bandwidth, a wider range of services and better value for money frequently cited as among the key benefits for customers.
What's holding the process back?
However, the report also identified a range of issues that could hinder the development of full fibre services and potentially delay planned switch offs of copper networks. These include both technical and regulatory challenges involved in the rollout of new networks, as well as cultural issues, such as users who see no reason to make the migration.
In the UK, a particular problem was the lack of clear information on what conditions will need to be in place before copper exchanges are switched off. At present, there are no defined rules established to determine when this should happen.
Meanwhile, the existence of regulatory obligations for access to copper, such as the Wholesale Line Rental rules in the UK will need to be addressed. For instance, legal obligations to ensure voice communication services can still work in the event of a power failure have meant copper continues to be a requirement.
The UK's low level of current FTTP availability was also listed as an issue, while reluctance from existing customers to migrate to full fibre services was also an issue. Given a large proportion of current customers remain on full ADSL or hybrid fibre-to-the-cabinet lines and may be happy with the current performance they receive - especially lighter internet users for whom the ability to download large files or stream high-quality content is not important - it may be a tough task to persuade them to shift to more expensive full fibre offerings.
However, steps are being taken to address these issues. Openreach, for instance, recently began a consultation that asked the internet service providers that use its network for their opinions on how best to encourage consumers to switch, which may help address many of the issues that are currently holding back the rollout of full fibre.
Ronan Kelly, president of the FTTH Council Europe, added: "The telecom market is in a transitional phase, it is moving from an old copper-based infrastructure to new fibre-based networks. There is a technology change and all eyes are on 5G, but we should not forget that fibre is the foundation of all technologies for connectivity."
