‘Reliability’ is the new hot thing in broadband networks

Operators need to focus on not just enhancing speed but also “reliability” across the cloud, the backbone as well as legacy equipment in the home, according to Rogers’ exec Damian Poltz

Old amplifiers and line extenders can limit service reliability, says GCI

Rogers and GCI are undertaking mid-split and high-split upgrades, respectively, to accommodate more upstream traffic

As broadband operators pursue network upgrades, it’s not only about bringing faster speeds to customers. Reliability of the network is now pretty important too, according to Damian Poltz, SVP of wireline networks at Rogers Communications.

Speed of course is “still a very important segmentation tool” for operators, he said at an SCTE TechExpo panel. But in Rogers’ perspective, the broadband market is shifting to “really start to focus” on reliability, as customers say they value an interruption-free connection the most. And it doesn’t stop there.

“Reliability to the customer is actually extremely broad, much more broad than certainly some of our telco competitors would like to have us believe,” Poltz said. “It’s not just about having a passive network in the last 100 or 200 meters of the plant.”