Fibre to the Node and VDSL2 – The Next

Evolution of the Broadband Network

Andrew Long
October, 2014
Speaker
Andrew Long

EXFO
Group Manager.
Access Business Unit.
25 years of copper testing experience.
Based in Dallas, USA.
andrew.long@exfo.com

© 2013 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.. 2

Agenda for Today’s Session

1 FTTN Market and Technology Overview

2 FTTN Deployment Challenges
3 Best Practices for VDSL2 Installation
4 How EXFO Can Increase your Field Testing
Efficiency

© 2013 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved. 3

FTTN Market & Technology Overview

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 The Evolution of DSL

› Deployments of Vectored VDSL2 technology are now starting

› G.Fast expected to be ratified in CY15. Silicon vendors have chipsets
in development.

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 Bandwidth demands driving VDSL2 ports
Market update

›VDSL2 drives growth of DSL port shipments as operators plan

deployments in FTTN/FTTx configurations
›Major emphasis on Vectored VDSL2 deployments
›The business case has been proven
›The technology works
Worldwide VDSL2 Port Shipments

Source: Infonetics Research © 2014 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.. 6

 FTTx strategy
Market update

›Bring fiber closer to the customer’s premises (FTTc, FTTdp)

›Optimize the use of xDSL technology (Bonding, 30a)
›Compensate current copper limits (Vectoring, G.INP)

“Deploying VDSL2 vectoring

from the street cabinet (FTTN
/ FTTcab) is a factor of 3
cheaper than FTTH, and FTTdp
is up to 50% cheaper”

Source: Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs

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Evolution of the Access Network
Fibre pushed closer to the customer

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FTTN vs FTTdp vs FTTH

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DSL Frequency Bands
Operational Update

› Frequency band increased from 2.2MHz to 17MHz for VDSL2

› More potential for noise ingress
› Shorter loops (due to attenuation of high frequencies)
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© 2013 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.. 11
Vectoring – How Does it Work?

Why is vectoring so important ?

›Far-end crosstalk (FEXT) is very evident in VDSL2 deployments
›Vectoring removes FEXT in near real time
›Much like noise cancelling headphones eliminate background noise

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Vectoring – How Does it Work?

What speeds can be achieved?

›Aggregate bit-rates over 100 Mbps with Vectored VDSL2
›Over 200 Mbps with bonding & vectoring

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 Vectoring – How Does it Work?

Note: Every pair in the binder group must be Vectored in order to maximize the affect of noise cancellation
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FTTN Deployment Challenges

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 Noise!

Noise is EVERYWHERE
High frequency noise can have a serious effect on DSL
› EMI › AM Radio
› Impulse Noise › CB/Amateur Radio
› Power Influence › Mother Nature

› Crosstalk (xtalk)

VDSL2
Technology

VDSL
ADSL2+
ADSL

17.66MHz
25kHz
1.1MHz 2.2MHz 12MHz 30MHz

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 Wideband Noise
Direct effect on the DSL line

Noise on the circuit

What is it?
›Noise induced into a pair at
frequencies above voice-band (>20
kHz)
›Most of time it is a stationary noise
generated by local (NEXT) or far (FEXT)
sources
›Sources: AM radio, crosstalk from other Resulting SNR degradation
DSL or legacy services, etc.
›WB Noise presents a no-burst
characteristic in time domain view.
›Quite Line Noise (QLN) test shows
noise level and the effect on SNR of the
DSL line
© 2014 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.. 19
 Signals that don’t Belong – VDSL2
Crowded Frequency Spectrum

ADSL2+

AM RADIO

CB RADIO

TV FM RADIO TV

VDSL2 G.Fast © 2013 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.. 20

Signals That Do Belong
VDSL2 crosstalk noise

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 Impulse Noise
It has a massive impact on the QoS of the line

What is it? Impulse Noises characterization*

›This is noise, which is not constantly ›SHINE
present, but appears in noise bursts ›Single High Impulse Noise Event
›Sources: florescent lights, industrial ›Duration >10 msec
motors, faulty or poorly designed
electrical equipment, etc. ›PEIN

›Impulse noise signal has a wide ›Prolonged Electrical Impulse Noise

frequency spectrum distribution ›Duration 1-10 msec
›Need to capture and analyze the ›REIN
noise signature to characterize the
source. ›Repetitive Electrical Impulse Noise

›Quite Line Noise test is not able to ›Duration <1 msec

identify an Impulse Noise.

*Source: TNO’s TD 29 document © 2014 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.. 22

Impulse Noise
Examples of potential source: REIN

›Repetitive Florescent Light (23W Compact Fluorescent)

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Impulse Noise
Examples of potential source: EMI

›Florescent Light
(turn on)

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 Key Challenges when Deploying Vectoring

Network Challenges Operational Challenges

Node Size
Line
Limitations
Stability

Unbundling VDSL2
Vectoring CPE Interop

Equipment
Upgrade
(vector- Sync Time
capable)

© 2013 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.. 26

Best Practices for VDSL2 Installation

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 Key DSL Deployment Strategies

› Ensure the optimal electrical health of the

copper loop
› Detect and remove bandwidth-robbing faults
› Laterals/bridged taps
› Remove Load Coils
› Go beyond voice frequency testing
› Mitigate noise
› Bonds and Shield Earths in place
› Ensure optimal DSL performance using the
best profile

© 2013 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved. 29

 Electrical Health

› Flag foreign voltages

› Resistance/capacitance (shorts/opens)
› Confirm pair length is within limits (acceptable
attenuation)
› Detect galvanic corrosion (Isolation
Resistance)
› Identify poor pair balance

© 2013 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved. 30

And Do Not Forget Laterals!
The Data Rate Killer

› Detect and remove bandwidth robbing faults

› Bridge tap removal is critical
› A 3m tap significantly impacts VDSL2-17a

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Detecting and Measuring Noise
Sources in VDSL/ADSL Services

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Key Measurements in a VDSL2 Environment

Measurement Why is it important?

Wideband • Critical to measure the ability of a circuit to reject noise across
Longitudinal wideband frequencies that VDSL2 operates (8MHz to 30MHz).
Balance • This test is used to evaluate ground conditions, poor splices or
insulation breakdown.
Wideband Power • Check the ambient noise on a circuit prior to provisioning to ensure it
Spectral Density will support the rate requested by the customer. This test helps avoid
(PSD) Noise providing service that will be unreliable and cause further technician
visits. It must test the entire VDSL2 bandwidth (up to 30 MHz).
Wideband • To measure the number of noise impulses on a line that is caused by
Impulse Noise sources outside the copper plant.

DSL Sync • DSL Golden Modem sync testing must be Vector-friendly. Non-
Vectored modems will sync, but will provide erroneous results.
• CPE devices must be upgraded to Vector-Friendly. Same applies to Test
Equipment.

© 2013 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.. 35

 Another Way to “See” Wideband Noise
› Use DSL sync test – loop diagnostics. (CRC/FEC counters)
› In service DSL test
› QLN shows noise level and effect on SNR

Noise on the
circuit,
beware
downstream Resulting
only downstream
SNR
degradation

© 2013 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved. 36

 DSL Metrics
SNR margin >8 dB SNR margin:
low how much more dB noise
(low capacity, can the circuit tolerate and
still maintain BER
actual/provisio
ned rate near Possible issues:
max rate) Degraded signal 6.70
(metallic faults)
Noise too high
Bad balance
Shield degradation/unbonded
Carriers/xtalk

Keeps dropping Possible causes:

sync Loop too long
Too much power influence
Neighbor just got high speed Internet
VDSL2 from a remote
impacting CO/exchange-based ADSL
Impulse noise from premises

© 2013 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved. 37

 DSL Metrics

CRC < 5 CRC Cyclical Redundancy Check

CRC = uncorrectable errors
Possible causes:
Cable faults
Xtalk
Impulse noise events
When more than 5 CRC counts occur
over a 15-minute period, the customer
may start to experience issues.

FEC < 200 Forward Error Correction

DSL automatically corrected errors
Possible causes:
High resistive fault/series Ω
Noise/impulse
Xtalk
When more than 200 FEC counts occur in a 15-minute period,
data rate may be reduced due to system transmitting/receiving FECs.

© 2013 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved. 38

How EXFO Helps You

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Improving Testing Efficiency

TDR
DMM
RFL
Isolation

AutoTest SmartRTM

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The case: two faults on the pair

›A complex fault with a low isolation issue plus a lateral

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The Old Way

›Run generic Autotest first

›Analyse the results and decide next test
›Run TDR to locate first fault
} x2

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 The Old Way - Testing time

Type of operation Time (min) – best effort

Run generic Autotest first 3
Analyse the results and decide next test 3
Remove first fault NA
Run Autotest again 3
Analyse the results and decide next test 3
Finally remove the second fault NA
Total time 12

12 minutes

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EXFO-ENABLED
workflow

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EXFO-ENABLED workflow
› Run Pair Detective first
› Analyse the results to see the overall status
› Run Fault Mapper to locate fault
› Remove the two faults

© 2013 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.. 46

EXFO-ENABLED workflow
› Run Pair Detective first
› Analyse the results to see the overall status
› Run Fault Mapper to locate fault
› Remove the two faults

© 2013 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.. 47

 EXFO-ENABLED workflow

Type of operation Time (min) – best effort

Run Pair Detective first 1.5
Analyse the results to see the overall status 0.5
Run Fault Mapper to locate fault 1
Remove the two faults NA
Total time 3

3 minutes

Up to 75% time saving !

© 2013 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved.. 48

 EXFO Value Proposition
The MAX-635 for FTTN Networks
Adherence to latest DSL
standards
› ADSL2+ and VDSL2 bonding with
Broadcom chipset
› G.Vector and G.INP compliant
› ADSL2+ ATM/PTM and VDSL2
single-pair testing supported for
hybrid networks
› Member of Broadband Forum,
ITU-T and UNH IOL DSL
Consortium
Consolidated multi-layer
testing approach
› All key testing needs—DSL,
copper and triple-play—combined
in one affordable unit
› IPTV analysis with MS Mediaroom
support
› Simple graphical view of the
circuit and fault diagnosis
Increased deployment
efficiency (OPEX)
› SmartR Automated testing –
minimal training required
› Pass/fail analysis – eliminate
guesswork and reduce install time
› Cloud management system-strong
optimization of the fleet
© 2013 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved. 49
Summary

› VDSL2 and Vectored services are more

sensitive to noise than ADSL2
› Detecting VDSL2-affecting noise requires
new wideband tests and techniques
› All pairs must be qualified to be in sound
electrical condition. (Balanced, no Load Coils
or Laterals)

© 2013 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved. 50

Thank You

Andrew Long
andrew.long@exfo.com
T: +1 817 600 2166

© 2013 EXFO Inc. All rights reserved. 51