Economic Aspects of Multiservice Subscriber Loops in Telematics Networks

Since 1975, and in cooperation with the French Telecommunications Authority, we have been conducting field trials and feasibility studies to determine the capability of existing copper loop plant to support telematics services. This paper presents some of the economic information that has come out of our program. The economic analysis proceeds from a study of the technical options most likely to prove cost-effective in the foreseeable future. We present a method for comparing costs for telecommunications plant between subscriber premises and the central office of a multichannel, multiservice telematics network. The application of our method, to the possible technical solutions in any given case, leads to a series of conclusions Which could be valid for the coming stages of telematics network development.