A cost-effectiveness analysis of alternative guided media for the backbone cable plant portion of the Base Information Transfer System

Abstract

The Base Information Transfer System (BITS) and the Telephone Modernization Plan (TMP) will upgrade the backbone cable plant of the telephone system on Navy bases. Using a hypothetical Navy base and its existing twisted-pair wire network, this paper analyzes the unique costs of optical fiber and twisted-pair wire for four installation options: immediate installation of optical fiber; time phased installation of optical fiber; time-phased installation of twisted-pair wire in trenches; and time-phased installation of twisted-pair wire in existing conduit. The cost analysis indicates that the lowest cost option is twisted-pair wire installed in conduit. However, the cost-effectiveness analysis concludes that time-phased installation of optical fiber is the best alternative due to its performance characteristics.