Maintenance and operation of optical fibre cable networks
(Continuation of Question 17/15)
Motivation
The demand for broadband access services has increased throughout the world in recent years. Fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) constitutes the most promising approach to providing these services because of its large transmission capacity and cost-effectiveness. The number of FTTH subscribers is increasing rapidly, and a large number of optical fibre cables are being installed daily to meet demand. Therefore, the importance of smooth construction, operation, and cost effective technologies for the maintenance of the huge amount of optical network plant has been increasing. This is because maintenance has a direct impact on operational expenditures (OPEX). The maintenance and operation of passive double star networks is especially important since passive optical networks (PON) are the main way that FTTH services are provided throughout the world.
In addition, new telecommunication infrastructure will be deployed using a large number of optical fibres, cables, enclosures, cabinets and passive optical components. Concrete solutions for planning, collecting and managing this equipment are becoming essential in terms of optical facility operations. It is also important to improve network resilience and recovery against disasters if we are to realize sustainable telecommunication services.
Question
Questions to be considered in the study include, but are not limited to:
- What are the functional requirements for optical fibre line testing without any deterioration in optical communication signals in access networks?
- What procedures and methods can be employed for optical fibre line testing without interrupting optical services during maintenance work on optical access networks?
- What test functions are needed to realize a highly reliable optical network?
- What kinds of optical devices for testing are needed to maintain an optical cable network effectively?
- What are the functional requirements for an optical fibre line testing system for access and trunk networks?
- What kinds of parameters and/or information are needed for network operation systems for PON and optical fibre line testing systems in order to find a fault location in an optical fibre cable?
- What kinds of reliable technologies can be used to preserve and protect outside plant facilities?
- Study new solutions for monitoring critical network elements using sensor networks.
- Do the existing ITU-T Recommendations and handbooks provide an up-to-date coverage of the techniques needed to maintain the optical fibre cable infrastructure?
- Assess optical infrastructure security issues in the context of operation and maintenance.
- Study appropriate ways to improve network resilience and recovery against disasters.
- What are the functional requirements and/or suitable techniques for inspection, maintenance and repair of supporting infrastructures such as telephone poles, tunnels, ducts and manholes/handholes?
Tasks
Tasks include but are not limited to:
- To develop definitions of new maintenance functions for optical fibre cable networks.
- To develop new Recommendations for optical devices for testing.
- To update the maintenance functions and interfaces of an optical fibre cable maintenance support, monitoring and testing system for optical fibre cables networks.
- To develop new Recommendations for improving network resilience and recovery of outside plant facilities against natural disasters.
- To develop new Recommendations for maintenance on supporting infrastructures.
- Maintenance and enhancement of existing Recommendations including L.25, L.40, L.41, L.64, L.66, L.68, L.69, L.74, L.80, L.81, L.85, L.88, L.92, L.93, L.310 (ex L.53), L.380 and L.392.
Relationships
Recommendations:
- Q2/15, Q5/15, Q6/15, Q7/15, Q8/15 and Q16/15
Study Groups:
- ITU-T SG2
- ITU-T SG5 and JCA-IdM
- ITU-D SG2 Question 5
Standardization bodies, forums and consortia:- IEC TC86/WG4 and SC86C on optical measurement equipment
- IEC SC86A on fibres and cables
- IEC SC86B on components for optical testing
- Broadband Forum/FAN working group
