[LINK] Battery back-up mandatory for NBN?

[Paul Brooks]

On 2/11/2010 6:12 PM, stephen at melbpc.org.au wrote:
> On 2010/Nov/02, at 4:46 PM, Paul writes:
>
>> .. These days there are several communications alternatives
>> completely independent of the fixed standard telephone service,
>> including mobile phones often on several different carriers ..
> Would it were so, as you say, Paul ..
>
> Certainly not in this country town. Currently it's just ONE very dodgy
> Telstra mobile service with *zero* service inside buildings, and fibre
> to the town perhaps unlikely(?) given our population size and location.
> Talk of no copper will be a worry for folks around here when they hear.

And in that case, nobody would blink an eyelid if every location in your town chose to 
install a battery!. I am very glad the option will be there, for locations like this.


> But, anyway, here's a website regarding the nitty-gritty of the new BT
> (British Telecom) fibre laying process complete with last-century size
> conduits. BT appear to be at about the same fibre-stage as we are. The
> terminal they provide for their FTTH (called Fibre To The Premesis, or
> FTTP, in England) from the photo would appear not to have battery back
> up, unless the batteries are no more than a couple of AA size bateries?

Here is a fuller description from BT at 
http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/products/nga/fttp/downloads/GEA%20FTTP%20Brownfield%20PD%20Home%20env%201_0.pdf

this describes a 'Battery Backup Unit' (BBU) which can have a battery installed - see 
page 10.

Another document 
<http://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/products/nga/fttp/downloads/GEA%20FTTP%20Brownfield%20product%20description%20issue%204_0.pdf> 
includes the text:
"Battery back-up is most needed in the event of a power failure to support primary 
voice services created over the separate CPCA product. Battery back-up will not be 
installed for the FTTP Pilot. Options to back-up the entire ONT (data ports as well as 
CPCA voice ports) are the subject of further consideration by Openreach currently and 
we will clarify this position in due course. You or your customers may wish to 
consider using a standby power arrangements. We do not proactively react to alarms 
relating to power failure."

The BBU - if it exists for that example - appears to be a substantial sized separate 
box, roughly the same size or even larger than the ONT itself. In the photo of the ONT 
in the link you sent, I expect the BBU is out-of-frame, if it exists at all.
This text was from June 2010, I guess we'll wait to see what the UK experience teaches 
them about the need or not for backup batteries. Irrespective of how they decide to do 
it in UK, it would be entirely reasonable for Australia to do something different if 
it makes more sense for our conditions.

Paul.