The final 300 feet is often the toughest for broadband providers. Whether in a large house, a business or a multi-dwelling unit, structures with their legacy wiring, walls and various construction materials present challenges for operators in bringing gigabit from the demarcation point to the end device. This was the topic of an NTCA Business and Technology panel moderated by this author and featuring speakers from a service provider, PTCI, an engineering firm, Monte R. Lee and a supplier of MoCA extension equipment, InCoax Networks.

Brian Hough, Broadband Network and Data Services Supervisor for Oklahoma-based PTCI, indicates that Layer 1 is the biggest factor in choosing a technology to deliver gigabit into the building. Lynn Merrill, President of the engineering firm, Monte R. Lee & Company, summarizes the overview of the various in-building gigabit extension approaches that are available from fiber to G.hn to G.Fast to MoCA.

Operators are setting themselves as a backhaul for 5G providers through their relationships with building owners and the resulting in-building broadband backbone networks. Hough sees this as an opportunity to get a piece of the pie, regardless of who is providing service to the end-customer.

Finally, Merrill, who has been representing rural America on worldwide communications standards bodies for decades, commented on the international perspective that Helge Tiainen brought to the panel.

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