Municipal officials and planners face many issues with FTTH. Should they build their own network, or invite corporate providers in? Should they got for FTTH or settle for something less? And what about wireless? Should they just ignore the whole issue and hope it will go away?

Q:Nearby towns and developments are installing FTTH, and local real estate agents say that property values in my town suffer because homes and businesses do not have access to FTTH. Cable already offers 8 Mbps and says 40 Mbps will be available in a few years using something called DOCSIS 3.0. And the local phone company says it will be bringing in FTTN with VDSL. Isn’t that good enough?
          A: It may be good enough for the next few years, but it sounds like it will be installed just as broadband needs will increase beyond what DOCSIS and FTTN can deliver.

Q: But they tell me both use fiber. Is that true?
          A: It is true, but not fiber all the way to the home. The last 1,000 to 5,000 feet from the fiber’s endpoint tot eh home is handled with copper— coaxial cable in the case of DOCSIS, plain copper wire for VDSL. That limits bandwidth, reliability and versatility.

Q: But my town’s residents are like others in the region, and maybe even with slightly higher incomes. Why aren’t they considered attractive customers for FTTH?
          A: They may be, but they may run into overalll corporate policy. A few cable companies are installing FTTH. Many telephone companies and independent broadband providers are doing the same. But the companies operating in your town maybe following an overall policy they think will work for them.

Q: The telephone company operating here is installing FTTH in the new development just 10 miles up the road. Why not here?
          A: It is usually easier to install fiber in new developments than existing ones. The fiber goes into the same trenches that have to be dug anyway for water, electricity and sewer service. In fact, copper wiring can’t even be run that way, so fiber is usually cheaper. Also, the new residents are not already tied to a cable or phone provider, so whoever installs a FTTH network in a new community has an easier road to signing up customers. That’s why about half of all new, large housing developments are equipped with fiber.

Q: Would installing fiber require that streets be dug up?
          A: That depends. Many network builders use “aerial” fiber, installed on poles along with existing telephone, electric and cable wiring. In areas where trenching is impractical, contractors can often use horizontal drilling, or pull fiber through existing ducts, water pipes, sewers and gas lines rather than dig us streets and sidewalks. In addition, many cities already have usable fiber under their streets that is not be used to its limit.

Q: What can I do to get fiber to my residents without building my own network?
          A: Try lobbying the incumbents— the cable and phone companies serving your town now. You could offer incentives to them or invite outside companies to bring FTTH to your residents. In Europe, public municipalities often co-own fiber networks with private enterprises; this could be done in the US, but rarely is.

Q: Where can I get more information for my constituents to show real-world examples of the benefit of FTTH?
          A: Try http://www.ftthcouncil.org