Fibre Infrastructure Strategies

Overview

This programme provides in-depth techno-economic analysis of fibre access networks. As their coverage plans are realised, investors and operators in full-fibre networks shift their focus to utilisation and monetisation. The programme helps senior decision-makers within investors and operators, as well as their suppliers, to understand and evaluate the various financial, software- and hardware-based options available to maximise the return on this capex-intensive investment.

Themes

  • Capex trends. The changing patterns of spending from 2018 to 2030, by operators and other delayered entities, on fibre networks.
  • Monetisation. Evolving monetisation models in wholesale fibre networks and the opportunities beyond broadband.
  • Technology. New optical access technologies and their substitutes, platforms and virtualisation in fibre networking.

Questions answered

  • Capex. What is the relationship between traffic and investment? Will operators need to spend as much on technology upgrades in the future?
  • Investment. What are the economic limits to expansion of full-fibre networks, and how far will coverage expand into poor or remote areas?
  • Monetisation. How much additional opportunity for investors is there in adjacent uses of fibre networks, and what do they have to invest in to capture it?
  • Technology. Is the virtualisation and eventual programmability of fibre access networks a necessity or a nice-to-have?
  • Delayering. Will country markets that adhere to a vertically integrated model for broadband have to delayer into netcos and servecos?

Programme head Rupert Wood

Rupert Wood Research Director