VDSL STEPPING INTO BANDWIDTH BREACH

For an industry obsessed with deploying only standards-based technology, telecom carriers often have shown that when an overriding issue like massive untapped demand for bandwidth exists, they’re more than willing to break with tradition and deploy proprietary systems.

Asian carriers in particular have shown that when it comes to deploying super-high-speed Internet access and video services, time-to-market issues trump all. So while VDSL2 continues on in the standards making process, some already have deployed the first generation of VDSL and are providing users upwards of 100 Mb/s downstream and 50 Mb/s upstream.

Part of the reason VDSL has helped fill the voice is chip vendors use of higher frequencies within the spectrum traveling on copper pairs, said Richard Sekar, vice president of marketing for Ikanos.

Under most schemes, VDSL originally used frequencies up to 12 MHz. However, by moving up the range to 30MHz, which is where VDSL2 will reside, VDSL chip vendors have been able replicate what the new standard will provide. Moreover, many also have been able to develop line cards that will be compatible with other existing flavors of DSL. The result will give carriers the ability to mix and match line cards inside DSLAMs based on specific service requirements.

“You may have some carriers just do one card that’s ADSL and the rest of the slots for VDSL,” Sekar said.

However, even advocates for VDSL believe the technology will have limited play in the U.S. market where carriers aren’t pressed by competition to the point that the will need to deploy proprietary technology.

“We haven’t seen anyone say that they’re going to roll VDSL out [in the U.S.],” said Kevin Brown, vice president of marketing for Pannaway.. “Right now with their service offering ADSL2 Plus is OK.”