400VDC remote powering as an alternative for power needs in new fixed and radio access networks

For several years, the data rate and volume have increased continuously bringing more services, like TV on demand and Gaming. For fixed network, fibre to the home brings the higher data-rate and architecture is simple and reliable, however the replacement of last copper drop to customer has a high cost. In some case, it can be more economic to place broadband nodes such as MSAN (Multiple Services Access Nodes) close to customers and keep the existing copper termination to reduce cost of high speed networks. For mobile networks, optical fibre replaces copper link from the access radio equipment to the central office e.g. hosting BBU for remote RRH. This active equipment (MSAN or Radio Base Station) deployed in FAN (Fixed Access Networks) and RAN (Radio Access Networks) require energy and Orange Labs has worked from more than 15 years on different solutions to power access networks at optimized for required network unavailability. This has been done in collaboration with Eurescom project with for example, remote powering on telecom copper pairs in BOBAN (nom à verifier). More recently the new solution of 400VDC remote powering on power cable more optimized for higher power has been developed with industry, and studies contribute to European GOLD project labelled by Celtic-Plus. This paper describes some studies tests results and development made on solution of 400V remote powering on power cable. It will be shown the interest in reliability, maintenance and costs of the remote power of access equipment through a power cable alone, or associates with optical fibre in an hybrid cable, particularly compared to traditional local powering from the grid.