G.fast, the new broadband standard designed to deliver access speeds of up to 1Gbps over existing telephone wires gained final approval last week from the ITU.
G.fast aims to deliver fiber-like speeds over existing copper at distances of up 400m from a distribution point. It maintains coexistence with xDSL and operates at higher frequencies than VDSL2 (start frequency: 2.2, 8.5, 17.664 or 30 MHz).
Service rate performance targets from the ITU:
- 500-1000 Mbps for FTTB deployments at less than 100m, straight loops
- 500 Mbps at 100m
- 200 Mbps at 200m
- 150 Mbps at 250m
- Aggregate service rates of equal to or more than 500 Mbps with start frequency of 23 MHz and VHF and DAB bands notches.
The approval of the physical-layer protocol aspects of G.fast – defined by Recommendation ITU-T G.9701 “Fast Access to Subscriber Terminals (FAST) – Physical layer specification” – follows the approval in April this year of ITU-T G.9700, a companion text specifying methods to ensure that G.fast equipment will not interfere with broadcast services such as FM radio.
ITU-T Study Group 15 has initiated work on an extended set of features for G.fast, targeting performance enhancements which will include additions to its range of low-power states. These features are likely to be available for incorporation into service providers’ G.fast deployments as early as 3 July 2015.
Dr Hamadoun I. Touré, Secretary-General, ITU: “The time from G.fast’s approval to its implementation looks set to be the fastest of any access technology in recent memory. A range of vendors has begun shipping G.fast silicon and equipment, and service providers’ lab and field trials are well underway.”
The Broadband Forum has begun developing a test suite and certification programme for G.fast systems. The test suite will provide for interoperability, functional and performance testing. A beta-trial of the certification programme is planned for mid-2015, and certified G.fast implementations are expected to appear on the market before the end of 2015.
“Consumers should have confidence that the leading broadband service providers globally are working hard to deliver 1Gbps, ultra broadband access,” said Robin Mersh, CEO of Broadband Forum. “The new G.fast standard makes it possible for telcos to deploy 4K UHD services faster and more affordably than they could with Fiber to the Home (FTTH).”
“The hot new product this holiday season and beyond is 4K UHD TVs,” said Gary Shapiro, CEA President and CEO. “But consumers need confidence that 4K UHD TV online content distribution services, which are often limited by bandwidth rates, are feasible. G.fast offers a promising way to overcome this challenge.”
“Besides supporting high-end services such as multi-stream 4K UHD TV, in urban areas already with good penetration of fixed copper telephone lines, G.fast has the added benefit of bringing self-installed broadband access to existing homes cheaper and with less disruption than bringing fiber into the home,” said Malcolm Johnson, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau.
http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2014/70.aspx#.VIZZc4u-2-0
