The community itself initiated and realized the GPON FTTH project — from the initial idea to the selection of Alcatel-Lucent as a technology partner — together with a planning office and in close coordination with Neue Medien im Ländlichen Raum, a state clearinghouse that advises rural communities in Baden-Württemberg on broadband access.

“This optical fiber project is an important step in readying our community — and the vacation region as a whole — for the future, fulfilling a long-held dream,” said Valentin Doll, mayor of Sasbachwalden. “We recently lost a number of businesses due to our poor Internet access. Companies often moved to neighboring Alsace on the other bank of the Rhine, where high-speed Internet has been available for some time now. Broadband has also become an important factor for the touristic industry; it is no longer possible to market yourself as a venue for seminars or conventions without good Internet access.”

As a model rural broadband project, the FTTH network has received financial support from the state of Baden-Württemberg as part of the federal government’s future investment program. The project also aims to gain experience in the expansion of broadband infrastructure in rural areas, and apply this across Germany.

The FTTH network is based on the OmniSwitch 6850 IP service integration platform and the 7342 Intelligent Services Access Manager Fiber-to-the-User (ISAM FTTU) GPON suite.

Alcatel-Lucent touts the project as an example of its “Open Community Broadband” program, which aim to help operators of “citynets” around the world — i.e., open access networks typically operated by municipal governments or utilities — to manage the complexities that are typical of FTTH deployments.

After some false starts, the European Commission is on the way to bringing a degree of pan–European regulatory certainty that should spur FTTH deployments. But obstacles remain.

“This is a major step,” said Joeri M. Van Bogaert, president of the FTTH Council Europe. “A major change is that FTTH and FTTC have been separated and a graduated set of remedies have been made.”

Today, European Union (EU) regulations cover traditional copper telecom networks and do not address issues arising from fiber–based next–generation access (NGA) networks. The opening of telecom networks, different market conditions, and the advent of a variety of FTTx technologies have created a very diverse regulatory picture in the EU. In northern Europe, where municipally owned companies are building FTTx projects, governments tend to favor service–based competition in which competing service providers all use the same network. In France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy, alternative carriers are driving infrastructure–based FTTx competition, which is favored by the FTTH Council Europe.

“If you look at Europe at this moment, regulators are looking at regulations differently,” Van Bogaert said during an interview in November. “This is a problem for suppliers from outside Europe, so centralized regulations would help. What we want to see is one coherent European regulation. This will help investment and investors to build pan–European projects. For the moment there are a number of investments that have been postponed because of regulatory uncertainty.”

The EC intends to submit recommendations this year to enable the EU’s 27 member–states to implement consistent legal frameworks that maximize benefits and minimize costs related to the regulation of NGAs at a European level. The commission’s goal is to have a first proposal in place before France’s presidential term ends in 2009.

Van Bogaert said that “most national regulatory authorities [NRAs] in Europe would like to remain independent. They would like to take EU recommendations and tailor them. In many countries, incumbents are still partly owned by the government. It will be a challenge for the commission to get all NRAs in line.”

France, Portugal, and Spain have already established a number of rules that are in line with the proposed EC fiber recommendations.

The EU reform process began in 2007. On November 13 of that year, the EC proposed to the European Parliament and the Council of Telecommunications Ministers reforms of the EU telecom rules (in place since 2003) to reinforce competition and investment and to create a single EU telecom market. Parliament began debating the package in early September 2008, and the debate in the European Parliament’s plenary with its 785 members led to a vote on the commission’s entire EU telecom reform proposals in first reading on September 23.

The Parliament vote shot down the EC’s proposal for creating a powerful regulator called the European Telecom Market Authority (EMTA), which had been spearheaded by EU Telecommunications Commissioner Viviane Reding. The proposed EMTA has since been transformed into a less powerful institution based on the existing European Regulators Group, which comprises the regulators from the 27 EU member–states. However, the EC has kept Reding’s proposal to terminate regulations in certain markets where competition is now robust, and her proposal for functional separation of network and service businesses to help increase competition. The separation proposal has met opposition from some of Europe’s leading incumbents, including Telefónica, Deutsche Telekom, and France Telecom.

However, functional separation, which would not require divestiture of assets, has already been implemented in the UK. Several other EU countries, including Sweden, have taken steps toward implementation.

The Parliament approved several of the EC’s fiber–specific proposals and recommendations. Following the vote, the EC launched a public consultation that ended November 14. The commission has since been reviewing comments and meeting with industry groups to fine–tune the proposals.

The proposals stress the need for national regulators to evaluate market share, or Significant Market Power (SMP), and geographic variations when analyzing scenarios for NGA. An operator is presumed to have SMP if it has more than 25% of a telecommunications market in the geographic area in which it is allowed to operate.

The EC is seeking to improve the rules for facility sharing by introducing in the EU’s regulatory framework provisions that would allow national regulators to impose access to buildings, ducts, manholes, and street cabinets to ensure a level playing field. The EC says that in an FTTH context, this objective can in principle be achieved subject to economies of density and scale as long as equivalent access is provided by the SMP operator to the relevant passive elements of its legacy network.

The EC says that duplication of infrastructure should be avoided where it is impractical or undesirable, such as in–building wiring.

The EC has identified concentration points as essential elements of the network topology, saying NRAs should seek negotiated agreements between an SMP and alternative operators.

The EC has also addressed fiber upgrades of existing SMP copper access networks. The commission wants to ensure that when SMPs replace copper networks with fiber to the node (FTTN) networks, competitors using those copper networks will have a reasonable transition period to decide how to cope with the changes.

Of all the countries that have introduced new NGA regulations, France is one of the most advanced. On August 4, 2008, France passed the “Law to Modernize the Economy,” a package that includes laws on FTTx networks and building cabling issues. The package coincided with the finalization of a duct offer by France Telecom, which had been required by ARCEP, the French telecom regulator. ARCEP has demanded France Telecom provide access to its civil infrastructure (ducts, manholes, etc.) under transparent and non–discriminatory conditions, and at cost–oriented tariffs.

Under the modernization law, the first FTTH operator to enter and cable a building must open the network to competitors on an equal access basis. Under the law, syndics (companies that manage buildings for apartment owners) cannot oppose the installation of FTTH networks by communications companies. The law also states that the mutualization (network concentration) point will be outside the building. The mutualization point has not yet been defined. ARCEP wants to wait and see what happens over the next year before making a decision.

At the request of the alternative carrier Group Iliad (Free), ARCEP also backed a process whereby the first operator to equip a building would install additional fiber in the last drop on behalf of other operators. The additional fiber would be pre–financed by the second operator.

Despite the regulatory revisions, France’s operators say more has to be done. France Telecom CEO Didier Lombard said that his company would miss its 2008 FTTH target of 1 million homes passed because of regulatory delays involving the sharing of FTTH access.

In September, France Telecom and rival SFR signed a limited cooperation agreement for FTTx rollouts. This was followed in December by an agreement among France Telecom/Orange, SFR, and Numericable for fiber sharing. However, Free has not as yet participated in any such agreement, much to the displeasure of France Telecom. The lack of a fiber exchange plan among all operators and opposition from syndics has slowed FTTx deployments in France.

Fiber Optic Transmission solutions from VOSCOM are protecting some of the greatest monuments of the ancient world at the Giza Plateau on the Nile River, near Cairo, Egypt. Fiber Optic Transmission Systems from VOSCOM enable  signal transmission from more than 100 video cameras in a surveillance system that watches the perimeter of the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and other archaeological treasures.

Recently, the Egyptian government determined a need to increase the level of protection of the celebrated historical sites by installing a video surveillance system around the entire perimeter of the Giza Plateau. The goal was to create a system able to view any area of the plateau complex from a single control room facility. Egyptian government engineers evaluated system requirements for several months before choosing VOSCOM to provide signal transmission from cameras located around the Giza site. VOSCOM fiber optic transmitter solutions are operating in the harsh desert conditions, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Egyptian government has been so satisfied with their performance; VOSCOM is the first choice for all new projects of significant importance in Egypt.

“The value of these ancient treasures is beyond measure, so we are very pleased the Egyptian government trusts the effectiveness and dependability of VOSCOM fiber optic converter solutions to play a critical role in protecting them,” said Jacky Wu, President and CTO of VOSCOM. “We continue to work on other high-profile projects in Egypt using VOSCOM transmission solutions and look forward to announcing them in the future.”

“With priceless artifacts to protect, the Egyptian government had to pay special attention when developing the system design,” said the project’s integrator. “Only the most reliable equipment offering the highest performance would even be considered for use in the system. The robust, dependable transmission solutions from VOSCOM were determined to be perfect for the needs of such a challenging application and environment when so much is at stake.”

Never one to shy away from the real-world issues affecting service providers, Neil Montefiore, CEO of Singapore’s StarHub Pte. Ltd. and a veteran of the Southeast Asia communications industry, noted during a CEO panel here that “no one is quite sure what people will do with 100-Mbit/s symmetrical,” asking: “Do people really need that speed?”

Montefiore was referring to the high-speed service that will be on offer to all of Singapore’s residents over the island state’s open National Broadband Network (NBN), which will offer 100 Mbit/s to every household over GPON connections within a few years. Those connections can be used by any retail service provider to offer its services in a move that, the Singapore authorities hope, will fuel service creation and the development of a true digital economy.

The rollout and management of the NBN’s active infrastructure — the core IP and backhaul networks, central office OLTs, and the end-user ONTs — is all being managed by an independent StarHub subsidiary called Nucleus Connect, which is set to launch its wholesale network services during the third quarter of this year. So Montefiore, as much as anyone in Singapore, is hoping the government-backed project will be a success.

But he noted that StarHub’s own current 100-Mbit/s service, the MaxOnline Ultimate service that’s available currently for S$86.88 (US$62.40) per month, has been taken up by only 5 percent of customers. “I’m unconvinced about consumer demand for 100 Mbit/s,” he said.

That, though, might change as the NBN services become available and introduce further competition into a fixed broadband market dominated by StarHub and national operator Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. (SingTel) (OTC: SGTJY). Montefiore noted that in other markets where very high-speed symmetrical services have been introduced, users have reacted by “doing a lot more uploading.”

There’s also the chance that the widespread availability of 100-Mbit/s broadband might fuel the development of new services. Fellow panelist, Telekom Malaysia Berhad CEO Dato’ Zam Isa, certainly believes that the introduction of fiber access services in general leads to service innovation above and beyond the triple-play offers already on the market.

Telekom Malaysia launched its fiber optic transceiver FTTH service in late March and is currently boosting its fiber rollout and provisioning teams to speed up service activation: The carrier currently has about 7,000 requests for its triple-play service offer, but only a small number of those have had their service switched on.

The low-power, plug-and-play ONT enables carriers and system vendors to upgrade existing service-oriented home and small/medium business equipment, including gateways, routers, and integrated access devices, to full GPON functionality without hardware or software redesign. It eliminates the need for carriers and service providers to deploy new CPE when introducing advanced fiber-based services.

The pluggable ONT, based on PMC-Sierra’s GPON SoC for mini-ONT applications, is powered by standard interfaces in the host device and does not require a dedicated power supply.

“FTTH networks have passed the initial adoption stage and service providers are looking for innovative ways to connect existing customers and equipment to passive optical networks for advanced services at faster speeds. In addition, multiple regulators require demarcation between CPE and carrier-provided PON ONTs,” says Raphael Sankar,
vice president and co-general manager of PMC-Sierra’s FTTH Division.

The PAS65823A-KIT pluggable ONT integrates an fiber optical transmitter, a host interface, and a OMCI stack that is interoperable with all major OLT systems on the market. It can be connected to any SFP receptacle and does not require any software or hardware modifications to the host system.

The PAS65823A-KIT pluggable GPON ONT reference design is available now.

This listing will allow Hikvision to invest in product research and development to continue to deliver state-of-the-art products and solutions for customers around the world. Hikvision plans to continue to invest in its logistics and technical service centers in the US and Europe, as well as other regions and markets, in order to provide better service to customers.

“Hikvision has kept its leadership position in the digital surveillance market through industry-leading and award-winning products,” said Polo Cai, Vice President of Hikvision. According to IMS Research’s Global Video Surveillance Report 2009, Hikvision is the No.1 supplier of DVR products worldwide.

As well, Hikvision has been listed three years in a row in Security 50, a market survey recognizing the top 50 security vendors in the global security market (No. 12 in 2009). “We expect that the IPO will help us enhance the brand visibility of Hikvision in the market and award more recognition by our customers,” said Cai. “Moreover, becoming a publicly traded company will motivate us to work harder and evolve to be a stronger, more competitive company.”

“We consider the listing of our stock a noteworthy way to celebrate the company’s significant accomplishments in the last few years and to anticipate new achievements in the future,” said Yangzhong Hu, president of Hikvision. “There are large opportunities and challenges ahead of us, we will face it positively and fully utilize the funds gathered from the listing to expand the company’s business in video surveillance industry.”

The basic elements of a system for transmitting CCTV fiber optic as follows:

• Electronics optic converter (transmitter) at the end of the camera connection.

This camera takes the analog signal of 1 V peak to peak of the surveillance camera and transforms into a light that varies in proportion to the camera output Signal. The signal of the light generated by an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or laser Transmitter, which is designed to couple a maximum of light produced in a fiber.

• fiber light transmission and optical fiber cable.

The optical fiber guides light from the LED or laser transmitter with a minimum the loss of the screen or end controller connection matrix. The optical fiber itself is protected by a variety of sheath materials with a cable design to appropriate for the specific application. The fiber optic cable is connected to terminal In units for mounting screw or bayonet.

• Optical Electric Converter (receiver) at the end to monitor the connection.

This device takes the signal from the optical fiber and converts it into a analog electrical signals, which is consistent with the requirements to control the seizure. The light in the power conversion is performed by a semiconductor detector is made called a photodiode or an avalanche photodiode. subsequent electronics regenerates the output signal. Products of higher quality producer to offset losses and fiber optic intensity variation with Transmitter Output
Time and temperature by automatic gain control, a standard type 1 v Peak to peak output format that the output of the camera produces.

• Control data and audio connections.

Cameras in CCTV systems are either fixed, watching a particular scene or laptop so that the different scenes are displayed under the direction of the operator, as would to place in the remote area. In the case of fixed cameras and fiber optics Link is necessary to monitor only transmit video information from the camera, requires only a single optical fiber link for each camera to follow its trajectory. In the case of  move the camera are then a return signal to be supplied by the control room of the device is usually a second optical fiber. It is customary Links for this return of control for remote control of camera PTZ – Pan, Tilt and Zoom functions provide more Camera Cases and washing activation.

When control of the camera is then of the fiber optic link interface electronics must be used compatible with the protocols used by the controller manufacturer. These functions are transmitted through the fiber optic link back with a digital transmission standard Format such as RS232, RS485/422, 20mA loop current, and, more recently Echelon
FTT10A Lonworks. In addition, some manufacturers require a controller data return Canal to confirm the movement of the camera camera. This return is generally encoded data from the optical transmitter and electronic equipment sent to the same fiber the video signal.

Help Point facilities and access control requires the transfer of two audio channels Signals on the fiber connection. Also optical transmitter and receiver are available This facility, in addition to video and control data includes links to all
the same two fibers. It is also possible that all these video, audio and data The transfer functions on a fiber with different wavelengths (color) lights Sources to transmit light in any direction. This technique is known as the wavelength Division Multiplexing, it maximizes the use of fiber cores installed at the expense transmitters and receivers more expensive.

·  The maintenance of picture quality and control data integrity over extended distances:
This is the main reason for the use of fiber optic signal strength than loss characteristics of copper cable. In general, the attenuation of coaxial cable to a the signal frequency of 5 MHz, 20 dB / km. In mitigation of fiber comparison is 0.3 to 3 dB / km mean that the fiber optic transmission distances of 60 km and can achieved, depending on exact details of the application. In addition to this low signal loss on fiber frequency range of the signal very large, so that made optical fiber can be used for transmission of multiple video signals over long Distances.

·  Immunity to electromagnetic interference:
Optical fiber transmits signals as light pulses instead of electrical impulses. This light transmission is not the existence of electromagnetic fields. As fiber transmission can lead to applications where connections are used routed away from power lines and electrical machines. This includes applications such as railways, tramways, electricity generation and vehicle welding machines. In addition to the optical fiber generally has a metal structure there is no problem with ground loops between devices and The cable can be transmitted lightning impulse. This makes the elimination of ground loop Fiber optic cable for the medium of choice for strengthening links between the most accessible.

·  Security of Information and Operational Safety:
Unlike copper wire cables with fiber optic does not emit signals from fiber The cables are virtually immune to “strike”, then the signal is difficult to Access to unauthorized persons. As there is no emission of optical fiber there is no danger of a plant fiber to act as a source of ignition. This means that fiber can be used in hazardous areas such as chemicals and petrochemicals Web sites that a true “intrinsic safety” of the transmission. However, note that This internal security, not the electro-optic modems extend the termination who have certified the safety and protection as other electrical equipment.

·  Efficient use of duct space:
Optical fiber itself is very small, each fiber is only 0.125 mm in diameter. Protective coating is then applied in stages, depending on demand, making the fiber in a cable used. Typically the resulting cable has an appropriate diameter of 3mm for a patchlead heart of 8mm for single fiber or a fiber of eight for internal or external. In contrast, 75 ohm coaxial cable has a copper-CT100 Diameter of 6.5 mm. Thus we see that the small size of the optical fiber to allow significant savings on copper, where space is limited or if Duct space is limited. With the small size of fiber weight gain both to achieve economies of storage and transportation prior to installation.

·  Multi-channel capability and “Future Proofing”:
While most fibers are now used for CCTV video signal is transmitted and can be Data to a control signal may wish the user to update the system to support more Camera and control channels. Each fiber glass is now able to transfer several optical channels, either by using different optical media “colors”, ie division multiplexing wavelength, or increasing the frequency of the signal with Electric multiplexing techniques. The transmission media is so “future proof” and extend the connection should the link for additional devices Capacity.

In these sections, we will demystify transmission fibers used for the trial CCTV To use the system. We will be described, why fiber should be used, proceed to consider the launch  The basic elements of a fiber optic system and the installation of the practice and, finally, an overview of the  The technology for systems CCTV local facilities, expand essential services complete  distributed multi-channel signal transmission.

1: Defining criteria
Why do I want to install CCTV?

It’s essential to start with a clear idea of what you want your CCTV system to achieve. What suits your neighbour or another business may not suit you. Are you considering the investment as a deterrent to intruders and thieves? To record access to a building or car park? To monitor movement in particular areas of your property? To record activity round the clock or at specific times, for example when your property is unoccupied? You also need to think about what you want to do with the information once you have it. How long do you want to keep it? How often do you want to review it? With clear objectives, it’s easy to determine the criteria – such as picture resolution, camera focal length and image storage requirements – that will ensure your chosen system is fit for purpose.

2: Basic requirements
What equipment will I need?

Essentially, a CCTV system comprises one or more cameras and either a software- or hardware-based image recording facility. Until recently CCTV cameras operated by transmitting analogue video signals through copper cables to a central location where the video signal was recorded. While analogue cameras still have their place, today’s more sophisticated IP cameras produce digital output and use IP networks to relay their images. The number and type of cameras you choose will depend on the subject and the extent of the surveillance area.

3: Recording options
How can I store images?

Images can be stored on the camera itself, on a computer or on a digital video recorder (DVR). The output from an IP camera is digital and is recorded without change; the output from an analogue camera is first digitised and then stored. DVRs and computer software offer the ability to record multiple channels, ie images from several cameras at the same time, regardless of the camera type. With analogue cameras, the number of channels that can be recorded is limited by the number of physical connections on the DVR, whereas in an IP system it is usually limited by software licensing. The number of camera sources you want to record from, the image quality you require, and the length of time that you want to store those images will all influence which recording device is best for you.

4: Ongoing surveillance
How can I monitor images?

A key consideration in getting the right system is to know how you want to view the images from your cameras. Will you have a central control room with trained operators constantly monitoring screens? Do you want a third-party to monitor your property? Will you want to access your CCTV images remotely while abroad? Do you want to receive email or text alerts if suspicious activity is detected by your CCTV system? IP cameras can be connected to the internet to relay images anywhere, and both IP cameras and DVRs have the capability for motion detection.

5: Static or not
Do I need fixed or moving cameras?

Camera housings can either contain fixed cameras, trained on a single location, or PTZ (pan/tilt/zoom) cameras that can rotate 360° and provide pre-programmed ‘tours’ of an area. Motion detectors can be added to a PTZ camera system so that the camera can respond and focus in on suspicious activity. Depending on the rationale for your CCTV system, you might want a mixture of fixed and PTZ cameras to cover different zones and applications.

6: Camera features
Do I need IP or analogue cameras?

While an analogue camera is ideal if you want to monitor one location from a fixed position, an IP camera is more flexible and can enable more sophisticated surveillance, recording and review. IP cameras can deliver high definition or megapixel images, which give greater detail and can cover a greater range. They can also be powered over a network using Power over Ethernet (PoE), so do not require a separate power supply. Some IP cameras have audio recording built in which allows recorded messages to be broadcast automatically to warn people that they are being watched. However, this functionality can be integrated into any camera’s housing and is not a specific benefit of IP. Both types of camera can also feature infrared technology to capture full-colour images during the day and black-and-white images in low light or even complete darkness.

7: Intelligent security
Should I integrate my CCTV with my other security systems?

CCTV cameras can be easily integrated to enhance your security. When integrated with an intruder alarm, your CCTV system can be set to record images at a higher resolution when the alarm is set or activated. When integrated with an access control system, CCTV can provide additional visual verification that a person has authorised access. Your specific integration requirements will influence the type of camera and recording equipment you need.

8: Investing wisely
How do I make the most of my budget?

This depends on what you want your CCTV system to achieve. IP cameras are more expensive because their image quality is better and they are more flexible, but analogue cameras are often sufficient for the job. If you only need fixed-point monitoring, a low-spec, low-cost analogue system would be the right choice. On the other hand, if you need to monitor a large area, it may be more cost-effective to use one high-resolution PTZ camera in the place of several fixed analogue cameras.

9: Going digital
Should I upgrade to a digital system?

The need to upgrade will depend on what equipment you already have, your surveillance requirements and your budget. By replacing a VHS video recorder with a DVR, the feed from existing analogue cameras can be digitised and more easily stored. The system can then benefit from features, such as motion detection, which are supported by DVRs. IP cameras can also be introduced to work alongside analogue cameras allowing you to benefit from their technology where appropriate.

10: Industry validation
What accreditation or references should I look for in a CCTV installer?

Credible CCTV installers will have industry accreditation such as recognition by the NSI (National Security Inspectorate) which promotes compliance with relevant British and European Standards as well as the requirements of the police and the insurance industry. A reputable company will not have any problem with you asking for their credentials, and should also be able to introduce you to existing customers for reference.