Access-Segment Substitution in Passive Optical Networks: A Feasibility-Gated Decision Logic for RF–PON Hybrid Deployment Efficiency

6 Jan
Posted on Author

Authors: MG Kasheera Gamith

Abstract: Broadband access networks must expand under stringent cost and time constraints while meeting rising service expectations. Passive Optical Networks (PON) provide strong long-term capacity and scalability, yet real-world deployment bottlenecks persist particularly in the access (drop) segment where civil works, rights-of-way, and premises-level variability dominate rollout lead time and cost per connection. This paper reframes “hybrid access” not as a generic technology integration problem but as a segment-level substitution decision: retaining fiber in feeder and distribution segments while selectively substituting the access segment with Radio Frequency (RF) access when feasibility conditions are satisfied. We develop a feasibility-gated, decision-traceable framework that (i) decomposes the Optical Distribution Network (ODN) into feeder, distribution, and access segments; (ii) defines a feasibility gate for RF substitution across bandwidth sufficiency, service-level constraints, coverage feasibility, and reliability; and (iii) evaluates deployment efficiency through scenario-based comparative reasoning across urban high-density, suburban medium-density, and rural/low-density contexts. Findings indicate that access-segment substitution can yield material reductions in time-to-connect and/or cost-per-user where civil works dependency is binding, while advantages are moderated in dense urban environments where RF densification, coordination, and site constraints can shift the critical path. The framework contributes a managerial decision logic that connects feasibility screening, context conditions, and deployment efficiency outcomes into actionable guidance for operators and policymakers, while remaining explicit about boundary conditions and non-statistical generalization. (Cisco Systems, Inc., 2020; International Telecommunication Union [ITU], 2022; Broadband Commission, 2021; World Bank, 2020a).

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18159657