FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 28, 2009

FOLS Updates and Enhances Popular Premises Cost Model for Estimating LAN Infrastructure Costs

The Fiber Optics LAN Section (FOLS) of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) has updated and enhanced the current version of its popular Premises Cost Model. Updates include new media choices; aggregate pricing that reflects current market conditions; the ability to customize port utilization calculations; and a graphic comparison of different architectures.

The interactive cost model is posted on the FOLS Web site at www.fols.org as a Microsoft® Excel spreadsheet. A comprehensive supporting document explaining the various scenarios and providing detailed instructions for use of the model is also available on the site. Both documents can be downloaded at no cost.

According to Andrew Oliviero, FOLS Chair, FOLS members updated the Cost Model to better reflect market conditions. "FOLS continues to be committed to keeping our cost model current," said Oliviero. "For this update, we made changes that will make it easier for users to make accurate comparisons among architectures, essentially updating the data without making significant changes to the structure of the model. However," he added, "with the feedback that we have received from users, FOLS members are also working on a more advanced version of the Cost Model, which will feature more comprehensive and flexible parameters as well as graphical representations showing under which conditions one architecture may be favored over another. We have found that the cost-effectiveness of an architecture can be sensitive to the design inputs. The new model will make it easier to illustrate these differences."

The enhancements to the Cost Model include:

• Updated aggregate pricing that reflect market conditions. FOLS encourages users to input their own pricing data to obtain a user-specific comparison of network architecture choices.
• The fiber option is now 850 nm laser-optimized 50/125 um (OM-3) fiber, as this is now the most commonly used fiber type for premise applications.
• The copper choices now include Category 5e, Category 6, and Category 6a.
• Users can now customize the port utilization factor by floor or TR to more accurately reflect their own design or use the default settings in the Cost Model.
• A graphical Network Architecture comparison allows users to compare costs using pie charts.

About the Premises Cost Model

The FOLS Premises Cost Model compares the cost of a traditional hierarchical star architecture (UTP horizontal with fiber riser backbone) to three other standards-compliant architectures: Centralized cabling (also called collapsed backbone), Fiber-to-the-Telecom Enclosure (FTTE) low density, and FTTE high density.

The model is designed to allow users to create a completely customized comparison based on the parameters of their installation. For simple comparisons, the Cost Model offers several sample scenarios, based on aggregate pricing data derived from publicly accessible databases such as www.peppm.org, an educational and technology bidding program. In all cases the pricing used in the model represents an average price taken from at least three different manufacturers. FOLS recommends that all users input their own data into the Model.

"More than 2600 individuals have downloaded the Cost Model," said Oliviero. "We know from user surveys that it has helped people better understand their choices for cabling infrastructure and that it's helped dispel the myth that fiber-based networks are always more expensive than copper networks." Oliviero noted that a wide variety of end users have downloaded the model. "We see network planners from almost every industry as well as government agencies, hospitals, educators and manufacturing companies. What’s truly amazing is that we see interest in the Cost Model from all over the world," said Oliviero.

The Fiber Optics LAN Section of the TIA is a consortium of leading fiber optic cable, component and electronics manufacturers. The FOLS focuses on educating end users and design consultants about the technical advantages and affordability that optical transmission can bring to local area networks and fiber-to-the-desk applications. Member companies of the FOLS include 3M, ADC, Berk-Tek, a Nexans Company, CommScope, Corning, Draka Comteq, Leviton Voice & Data, OFS, Ortronics/Legrand, Panduit, Sumitomo Electric Lightwave, Superior Essex, and Tyco Electronics. Visit us at www.fols.org.

The Telecommunications Industry Association is the leading trade association for the information, communications, technology (ICT) industry. As co-owner of NXTcomm, TIA serves ICT suppliers and their service provider customers through its leadership in standards development, domestic and international policy advocacy, and facilitating member business opportunities. TIA represents the communications sector of the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA). For more information, go to www.tiaonline.org.

 

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