Lighting Up Next-Gen Nets

Telcos also are looking into newer battery technology, including using lithium batteries to replace traditional lead and nickel batteries. They are even starting to explore using alternatives such as hydrogen fuel cells to replace batteries in cabinets.

The byproduct of fuel cells is water, so using them can substantially reduce the amount of heat expended inside cabinets, said Sandra Saathoff, director of marketing and communication for ReliOn, which makes fuel cell systems for telcos. Although fuel cells still are generally considered too expensive to use as a replacement for batteries on a widespread basis, ReliOn has installed 560 sites with wireline and wireless carriers, Saathoff said, and more than half of those have been installed in the past year.

There's no question that telcos are forging new ground when it comes to powering next-gen broadband networks, and that often means dealing with bumps along the way. But industry watchers caution them to be careful in their planning and execution.

“The telcos are in the throes of doing stuff in the network that's never been done before,” Ross said. “They're in a hurry to plant new ground, but I'm an old farm boy who knows that any time you plant in a hurry, you can wind up planting a crooked furrow.”