Are we heading for the 'Silence of the Lambdas'?

• Fibre access network investments have been growing
• At last fixed broadband networks are set to become truly high speed
• But are we heading for a fibre access glut and unused fibre capacity?
• This is one of the topics to be discussed during this year's Great Telco Debate

The pace and size of fibre access network investments in recent years is something to cheer, for sure – for years fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) was deemed too costly or too risky, but improved economics, changes in regulation, investment incentives and a renewed faith in the value of communications infrastructure has resulted in a dramatic surge in fibre access network investments in recent years? But might supply outstrip demand?

This is the focus of one of the sessions in this year’s Great Telco Debate, which runs from 8-10 December on TelecomTV. The Fibre Gold Rush debate will be held at 17:00 GMT / 18:00 CET / 12:00 EST on Thursday 9 December, with expert witnesses from CELESTE, CityFibre, Neos Networks, Nokia, Verizon and Zzoomm – they will debate the motion, “The supply of fibre is beginning to outstrip demand,” before answering questions from those who have registered for the Great Telco Debate (it is quick, easy and free – you can do it right here).

What do you think? Join us for the discussion, vote for or against the motion and send in your questions!

Personally, I think we are a long way off having a fibre glut in general but there does appear to be some over-building... so it’s possible that, here and there, the sector will experience the ‘silence of the lambdas’ (it has been more than a decade since I dug up that gag...) 

Find out what the experts have to say during the session – and I’ll see you there!

- Ray Le Maistre, Editorial Director, TelecomTV