Muni network ownership and the Fourth

Wed Jan 30 04:30:40 UTC 2013

On 13-01-29 22:03, Leo Bicknell wrote:

> The _muni_ should not run any equipment colo of any kind.  The muni
> MMR should be fiber only, and not even require so much as a generator
> to work.  It should not need to be staffed 24x7, have anything that
> requires PM, etc.

This is not possible in a GPON system. The OLT has to be carrier neutral
so that different carriers can connect to it. It is the last point of
aggregation before reaching homes.

Otherwise, you would need to run multiple strands to each splitter box
and inside run as many splitters as there are ISPs so that one home an
be connect to the splitter used by ISP-1 while the next home's strand is
connected to another splitter associated with ISP-2. This gets complicated.

Much simpler for the municipality to run L2 to a single point of
aggregation where different ISPs can connect.  In the case of Australia,
the aggregation points combine a few towns in rural areas. (so multiple
OLTs).

> I fully support the muni MMR being inside of a colocation facility
> run by some other company (Equinix/DLR/CoreSite, whatever) so folks
> can colo "on site".

Just because it is a municipal system does not mean that it has to be
municipal employees who run the OLT and do the maintenance of the fibre
plant. It can very well be a private company comtracted by the city to
provide carrier neutral services to any ISP who wants to connect.