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Abstract— Today, the increasing adoption of internet innovation and sustainable development and called for
applications is driving the demand for high bandwidth bridging the digital divide globally).
communication services to individuals, homes and business Given the capital intensive nature of FTTh deployments,
premises. Fiber to the home (FTTH) is a future-proof fixed investment by incumbent telecom operators typically
access technology that supports high bandwidth applications to
prioritizes areas where the business study produces a positive
the end user; however its deployment typically requires heavy
capital investments that make for a significantly long payback NPV. But, the search for profitable growth, combined with the
period. For this reason, there has been an increase in fiber access government expectations for reducing the “digital gap”, is
network sharing initiatives between Network Operators. Analysis forcing the incumbents to consider new OAN models in fiber
has shown that sharing the infrastructure on a wholesale basis deployment. In this model, the value-chain is split into a
delivers savings in capital and operational expenses; number of horizontal layers, separating infrastructure
subsequently shortening the RoI (Return of Investment) period, connectivity provision from end-user service provision. Any
enabling the faster delivery of services to a greater number of service provider can offer any service/content (internet, VoIP,
subscribers. This model is known as OAN; a horizontally layered and IPTV) to any customer without being the owner of
network architecture and business model that separates the
connectivity. The infrastructure is shared fairly and in a non-
physical access of the network from the actual service provision.
This paper presents an overview of OAN models, the most discriminatory manner between multiple services providers
commonly shared infrastructure globally, and draws conclusions fostering competition on services differentiation over a single
from experiences in the region. The paper outlines strategic shareable network. An implementation of the OAN model is
business models, provides guidelines to overcome technical and shown below where, in this case, the service responsibilities
regulatory implementation challenges and presents a new have been entrusted to three separate types of entity:
business model based on the combination of OAN and FMC
concept that would enable the future deployment of networks - NetCo (Single Network infrastructure Company) for the
capable of providing broadband services from multiple services installation and maintenance of connectivity and
providers (retailers) simultaneously. - OpCo (Single Operation Company) for operation,
commissioning, provisioning and monitoring of the
Index Terms—About; OAN: Open Access Network, FMC: Optical Line Terminal/ Optical Network terminals (OLT
Fixed Mobile Convergence, FTTh: Fiber to the home, GPON: Gb and ONTs) and
Passive Optical Network. - Retailers Multiple service/content providers.
I. INTRODUCTION This business model, separating the roles of the service
provider (SP) and the network operator was initially
Today, broadband access to the internet is considered as a key introduced in Sweden [1] and expanded to FTTh access
factor contributing to the evolution towards knowledge-based network in Australia, and Asia mainly in Singapore and
sustainable economies and improved social welfare, enabling recently in the Middle East such as Qatar, UAE and KSA
the delivery of specialized services: telecommuting, (ongoing). Telecom regulators in these countries, aware of the
telemedicine, e-health, e-government, e-commerce and e- “digital gap” dilemma, intervened to attempt to balance the
learning... Several developed countries (eg., USA, Sweden, situation for the benefit of disadvantaged households, by
Australia, Korea, Singapore, and Japan) realized this fact providing financial incentives to operators who agree to
earlier than other countries. They started building their provide broadband services similar to those in the prioritized
broadband infrastructure in cooperation with licensed areas (closing the digital divide by providing access to a
operators and utilities in order to provide internet access at minimum level of broadband services).
affordable prices to their citizens in urban and rural areas, In Qatar for example, two fixed Service Providers (SP)
reducing the “digital gap” in their society. This move was in licenses have been released by the regulator so far. The
line with the ITU Broadband Commission recommendations existing fixed access network is entirely built, owned,
with the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development operated and maintained by the incumbent. However, the
(Rio+20) recognizing the potential of broadband for progress, second operator recently introduced in the market, mandated
to provide broadband services GPON based technologies, OAN refers to an arrangement where a network owner
started building its active infrastructure, while the backbone (usually incumbent operator) shares access to its network
and distribution (fiber connectivity) remain on lease basis infrastructure with the other local competitors (OLOs) at
from the incumbent. As the country population density is very wholesale prices.
low, the Return on Investment “ROI” is not secured; service
The most common model of OAN consists to have several
providers are reluctant to invest massively in FTTh
Active Network Operator (ANO) and Passive Network
deployment. This outlook has triggered the regulator initiative
Operator (PNO), managing each his own active/passive
to launch a wholesaler fiber connectivity company “QNBN”.
network. Each, can operate, either separately or jointly, active
In KSA, the “National Transformation Plan” is a government and passive infrastructures for its own use and wholesale at
initiative for broadband coverage in 2020 with the aim of commercial prices “white labeled” broadband services to
provisioning fiber to 80% of the households (HH) in dense OLOs.
urban and to 55% in urban areas, and supporting 70% of rural
HHs by LTE. The rollout, partially subsidized by the
government, is planned to be executed in partnership with the
existing licensed operators.
This strategy has been also adopted in other countries,
Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Korea, and in some
regions in the UK but implemented differently according to
the local specificities of each country in part driven by
circumstances of time and place, albeit at a substantial upfront
cost, as described below:
1. Set-up new company or establish alliance/partnership Figure 1: Active/Passive Network infrastructure location
between operators for build and operate of a purely
passive access network by sharing the existing duct This situation is the usual business model where the fixed
with the incumbent (fiber overlay) and wholesale fiber licensed operators were not able to reach an agreement for
connectivity services to the licensed services providers building a shareable network. Generally, this case is not
i.e.: QNBN Qatar, UAE, Spain, and France… economically viable, as it requires huge investment for
duplicated active and passive network components which
2. In Singapore a consortium “OpenNet” has been
often remain under-utilized. Three other options are presented
establish with different governance model: NetCo in
below:
charge of the passive access network infrastructure
(AssetCo); OpCo for network operation and i. Option1: Multiple companies are involved in the active
maintenance of layers 2 & 3 and wholesale services to part of the network. Each of them owns its own active
retailers. equipment running all together over a single shareable
3. Launch of new governmental company for building passive network infrastructure. Multiple fibers can be
national broadband network (active and passive), access terminated at each premise location and managed either by
and core network for wholesale to the licensed service the owner of the PNE (Passive Network Element) or its
providers (retailers). The incumbent handed over substitute.
(business deal/sale) the existing copper infrastructure to ii. Option 2: The PNE and ANE (Active Network Element)
the new company for upgrade according to the required are managed and operated separately by two parties: the
technology (i.e.: NBN in Australia). ANO and PNO. ANOs lease the connectivity from the
In this paper we will explore all possible OAN business PNO and wholesale the end to end link (active and
models, discuss pros and cons, deep dive in their respective passive) as a service to the RSP (Retail Service Provider).
architectures, propose the most appropriate design for their iii. Option 3: The ownership and operation of the whole
implementation and setup strategy and provide guidance for infrastructure including ANE and PNE is under one
their eventual adoption in the MENA region. “umbrella” of the incumbent. Retailers deal with the
network owner as a wholesaler of end to end connectivity
II. OPEN ACCESS NETWORK (OAN) organized according to a Service Level Agreement (SLA).
The main inconvenience of this option is that several
The access network infrastructure [2] can be described either retailers interface with the end user to configure the
based on the type of the network elements (Active/Passive) or residential gateway for the services to which that customer
their location in the network as inside (ISP) /or outside plants is enrolled.
(OSP). For fiber networks (as shown in Figure 1), active
components are classified as ISP and passive as OSP Any combination of the previous models remains within the
equipment. same framework. Multiple ANOs can have each his own
passive network, overlaying with the incumbent network
(infrastructure sharing basis). In this way, customers piece of land close to the CO where they can install
connected to the network will have access to the services of hardened shelters for their active equipment. In these cases
several service providers simultaneously. The network will an extra cross connects cabinet is required to implement an
be open and fully shared without any discrimination between interconnection protocol facilitating the testing of both
the different players. This will drop the high cost associated network portions without any service disruption risks.
to the deployment of a network by each competitor; enable
For better organization, this task can be assigned to a third
new service providers, and speed-up the time to market.
party e.g., a joint venture network company (NetCo) which
takes care of the deployment, provisioning and O&M of
III. WHOLESALE BUSINESS MODELS
the shared infrastructure. Partners should be treated fairly
and neutrally based on the principle of non-discrimination
The previous models can be elaborated further by defining
for access to services.
the wholesale boundaries according to the network projections
over the layers 1, 2 and 3 in the OSI (Open Systems
Interconnection) model as depicted in figure (2): iii. Collaborative built:
IV. OAN ARCHITECTURES depends on the country geo-data: the number and type of
customers, building, their distribution (density) etc. A
In the following we will translate the previous business subscriber classification list, residential, business, small, large,
models at two different levels either at the Physical layer SDU, MDU… along with their requirements have been
(Passive) or Network layer of the OSI model (Active) with developed, is given in Table 1.
different architecture:
A. Network sharing at the Physical Layer
1. Decentralized Architecture
Network components are distributed over different OSP
locations according to the network topology. The proposed
architecture is better for underground implementation. The
splitters are hosted in sealed enclosures within the hand holes
(HH). It offers equal access, simultaneously, to multiple
service providers offering broadband services to residential
and business.
The proposed design reserves part of the feeder cable (F U) to
Point to Multi Point (PMP) connections and 30% spare fibers
for Point to Point (P2P) connections and maintenance
requirements (usually FU~70%). If Np is the number of
premises that can be connected by a feeder cable; N p can be
Figure 4: Fiber Mapping from CO to customer premises using 12 fiber cable
calculated using the following formula (1): drops laid from serving MH (SMH) to maximum 4 HH, 2 fibers active and 1
spare, and 2x1:32 splitters serving 25 customers (1 SMH serves totally 200
𝑷𝑶𝑵𝒃𝒘 𝑭𝒄
𝑵𝒑 = 𝑭𝒖 ( ) (1) customers).
𝑪𝒃 𝑴𝒔𝒑
Table 1: Subscriber’s classification
Where FU = % of fiber strands dedicated to PMP connections,
Drop cable Terminated
PONbw: PON bandwidth (2.5 GB or 10 GB), Building Type Definition Connection
fiber count fibers
Fc: Fiber count (288, 144…),
Residential
Cb: assigned bandwidth per customer (e.g. 100Mbps), SDU
Villa (1:32)/MH 4 2
MSP: number of Service Providers. MDU Small 1 2-12 Flats (1:32)/MH 4 2
For MSP=2, Fc=288F will ensure 2520 FTTh connections and MDU Small 2 13-25 flats (1:32)/ Indoor 4 to 12 apts. 2, 4
1680 if m=3. MDU Medium 26-50flats (1:32)/ Indoor 12 6, 8
Depending on the serving area density the feeder will be split MDU large > 50 flats (1:32)/ Indoor 12, 24, 24.... 10+
either in 2, 3, 4…fiber cables (with different count e. g; 144, Commercial 1 < 10 lines (1:32)/MH 4 2
96, 72, 48 …) at the first splice point (in the joint closure). Commercial 2 >10 lines (2:32)/ Indoor 12,24, 48, 96 10+
Commercial
Figure (4) shows an example where the 288 feeder cable is /Residential
Mix. (2:32)/Indoor 12, 24, 48, 96 10+
split successively as in i.e. in 2x144, 4x72, 12x24… The last School Schools (2:32)/MH 4 2
splice point is located at the serving manhole from which nx12 University University P2P (12F) 12 8
fibers will be distributed then terminated at the splitters as Gov. Office Ministry P2P 12 8
depicted in figure 4. The 1:32 (or 2:32) splitters outputs are Gov. Agencies P2P 4 2
dropped to the customer premises using 4 fiber strands (2
active and 2 spares). The splitting ratio is up to 25 (i.e. only 25 Hotel
>100 P2P 4 2
ports out of the available 32 will be used) to provide 100Mbps Embassy P2P 4 2
per end user. Hospital P2P (12F) 12 8
Mall >100 P2P (48F) 48 24
Residential buildings/units are served via a single input port
(1:32) splitters while business, for protection and redundancy
This model is intensive in terms of fiber requirement, and is
reasons, are served with dual input ports (2:32) splitters.
space consuming to house the required ODFs and fiber
The 12 drops can serve up to 100 end-users. The first 3 fibers monitoring system as well as the services providers active
will be 2 active and 1 spare fibers (33% spare fibers). This will equipment’s(OLTs, routers…) when the number of SPs and
lead to 96 spare fibers out of the 288 feeder cable as described
the CO capacity exceeds three (3) respectively 20K
in figure 4.
subscribers.
A variety of design can derive from this model according to
the density, SDU, MDU, type of customer business or
2. Centralized Architecture
residential… It is possible to have a combination of 1 and 2
spare fibers according to the type of the deployment location. In this architecture design option [3], the splitters are
In high density business district, one might need to use centralized in one location (underground or aboveground), at
24fibers drop cable instead of 12. Network dimensioning the street cabinet “FDT” deployed juxtaposed to the existing
cross-connect copper cabinet. The splitter’s outputs are 1. Access at the CO: SP1 and SP2 will have each its OLT
dropped towards the FAT using minimum of 48fibers cable collocated at the CO and share end to end OSP network
then to the FTBs at the customer premises using 4 drops as infrastructure. Only the feeder cable count and number
depicted in figure 5. The 48 fiber cable feeding an FDT (with of splitters at the FDT will be duplicated across service
a capacity of 512 (16x1:32splitters)) will be configured as providers.
follows (with the previous assumptions 70% active and 30%
spares) to accommodate only two (2) service providers (SP)
with 200 connections each:
24 fibers for 8 groups of two splitters x 3 (2
active+1spare).
The remaining 24 fibers are reserved for future
expansion, point to point, and route redundancy
requirements.
This solution suits very well within high and low density
urban areas; only fiber count will change according to the
building type (business or residential, number of stories, P2P,
fiber cable count 12, 24, 48…). The splitters can also be
hosted in a cabinet installed in the basement of the building. Figure 6: FDT accommodation serving 2 SPs
2. Access at the FDT: SP2 will lay its own feeder cable
from its CO to the incumbent FDT. SP1 and SP2 will
share the OSP infrastructure from FDT to FTB. The
required extra capex will be for extra splitters only.
covers the MUX/DMX of the SP service streams at both ends voice traffic will reach the same and unique IMS through
(OLT and ONT). wireless and wired connections respectively, regardless of
access technology or device that can be used. A single
C. Infrastructure Sharing at Network Layer / Fixed Mobile BSS/OSS, single RAN, single spectrum as well; all resources
Convergence (FMC) will be put available and running under a single and unique
National Broadband Network for Mobile and Fixed services
The access to the shared infrastructure (layer 1, 2 and 3) wholesale. The retailers will be licensed to provide either
starts at network layer (layer 3). This business model takes the mobile or fixed or both; differentiation will be on services
form of a joint venture between licensed operators. It consists portfolio.
of a consolidation of all existing fixed and mobile networks
infrastructure (passive and active, Core, Transport, and V. INFRASTRUCTURE ACCESS AGREEMENT (IAA)
Access) into single national broadband fixed mobile AND SERVICES LEVEL AGREEMENT (SLA)
converged (FMC) network managed by new entity called
“NetCo” (owned by existing licensed operators “shareholders”
Prior to start the rollout, the incumbent needs to develop a
according to their individual contribution). Its mandate is to
protocol for provisioning the access to the physical
build, operate and maintain the whole network, and wholesale
infrastructure, sets out all the network elements that can be
fixed and mobile broadband services equally without any
shared with the OLOs as well as relevant services
discrimination to retailers (as MVNO/FVNO). A huge saving
request/delivery procedures, all accessible through a “central
in CapEx and OpEx will be made as this business model will
portal” recording all activities related to:
end the duplication of fixed and mobile network resources
such as:
1. Services including duct Access, facility hosting space
- Spectrum: Spectrum is a scarce resource worldwide. (CO, manhole, hand hole, joint boxes, fiber connectivity,
Usually, the available spectrum in a country is assigned ODF, FDT…), supervision and implementation support,
by the Government to the licensed mobile operators and any ad-hoc work for new deployment of duct or
based on their needs. In this case the spectrum usage is fiber…
not likely to be as optimal as if the spectrum were
assigned to a single MNO serving the whole unified 2. Service Implementation which encompasses mainly:
customer’s base. This will improve the quality of service a) the process for ordering, provisioning and delivery of
and overall user experience, optimize the spectrum usage access to the incumbent network, and
efficiency and ease its harmonization for better
preparation to new adopted technology in future (i.e., b) the procurement of its NEs for use by OLOs and
5G) very “hungry” in spectrum. installation of Fiber Cables and other network
infrastructure within the incumbent’s network,
- OSS and BSS: OSS and BSS will move from material type approval and PAT testing.
organizational silos (distinct OSS/BSS for Fixed or
Mobile technology) into a common OSS/BSS for Fixed 3. Operational procedures and processes that govern the
and mobile network/services. So that CapEx and OpEx installation, maintenance and access to the provisioned
(i.e.; license use) will be reduced by almost the half. network elements.
(Service providers will still need their own simplified 4. Interconnection when OLO build its own duct
OSS/BSS and therefore there remains duplication across infrastructure and that fiber-optic cabling may need to be
providers). connected to the incumbent infrastructure or OLO has
- IP-Multimedia System (IMS:A single IMS and service leased a NE from the incumbent and, in order to avoid an
engine as a “universal platform” for all MNO's users as obstruction or area of congestion, facilitate testing, OLO
well as a single Home Location Register (HLR) the main must install a manhole and duct segment and /or ODF
database of permanent subscriber information will be cabinet adjacent to an existing incumbent duct segment.
required. More than 50% of CapEx and OpEx saving can 5. Pricing/Billing
be made.
Usually, the space availability in the duct, manhole and CO
- Radio Access Network (RAN): The passive and active are very critical points and source of conflicts between the
RAN’s infrastructure (BTS, BSC, backhaul, tower, radio incumbent and OLOs. For transparence, the approach to
and antennas…) will be reused in the same site where it determining and allocating available capacity in the shared
is initially deployed with new frequency reallocation network should be clearly defined in the procedures:
plan, or reassigned to another site using traffic
engineering tool in a way the traffic volume in the sites
i. Duct useable capacity: The capacity of the duct that may
won’t be disrupted. The impact will be on Capex mainly.
be used for placement of additional cables “useable
The saving can be also significantly increased with fixed capacity” should be calculated based on the following
mobile convergence (FMC) concept on network device and principles:
services. A single IMS interoperable across the entire fixed
and mobile network will be required. Mobile voice and fixed
- Automation of the planning and work permit process to - The incumbent network capacity availability in
speed up issuance of permits, and to improve the number, size and occupancy of ducts and sub-ducts,
deployment delay, and fibers
- Improve local rules constraints for right of way of streets, - The level of maturity of the market: types of broadband
totally/or partially buried or areal infrastructure issues, services and technologies, market shares vs
and also the width of available telecom corridor. competition.
- The amount of subsidy the government intend to offer
VIII. CONCLUSION
- The budget availability for CapEx and OpEx
OAN was initially applied in mobile to reduce CapEx and
- The expected revenue generation (RoI).
OpEx of the OSP infrastructure (towers, shelters…). This
Any selected architecture requires the support of both the
concept has been expanded to fixed network and proposed as a
telecoms incumbent and the regulator to drive required
viable alternative for cost saving and also bridging the digital
expectations and to maximize the extent of the rollout and the
divide by improving the internet penetration rate in urban and
efficient use of expected investment.
rural areas including sparsely populated areas.
In this article we explored different types of wholesale Network infrastructure sharing, should not be considered only
business models: as a mean for sharing CapEx and OpEx or reducing the digital
divide. It is bigger than that; it is the first stone paving the way
1. Wholesale the OSP infrastructure (Layer 1)
towards the birth of a new business model combining two
2. Wholesale both layer 1 and 2 infrastructure
complementary concepts OAN and FMC. A new business
3. Wholesale layers 1,2&3 (White labeled products)
model, in which a single entity operates the network
The first model requires significant capacities in the duct and infrastructure and provides services to retailers (F/MVNOs) in
fiber infrastructure, while the two others requires extra a wholesale basis will supersede to the traditional model based
capacity at the uplink ports that can support traffic generated on “vertical integration”, in which one entity, operates the
by several SPs broadband services. network infrastructure and provides the service to the end
users.
Different options of OAN architecture have been also Telecom regulators in each country, with the support of the
proposed: ITU should seize this opportunity to work together for
developing a new strategy that will drive changes of the future
1. Network sharing at the Physical Layer for Multiple-SPs telecom landscape worldwide.
centralized, and decentralized architecture solutions
2. Infrastructure Sharing at both physical and Data Link ACKNOWLEDGMENT
levels (Layer 1, & 2). OLT to ONT are shared between
SPs (Wholesale at the bit stream). Special thanks to my friend Gareth Morris for reviewing the
manuscript and for his valuable comments.
3. Infrastructure sharing at the Network layer (Layer 3)
where SPs are considered as retailers, resellers of REFERENCES
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