No doubt, the fact that all three kind of service distribution networks (Telephone wire, data cable, fiber optic cable and coax cable) are recommended to be inserted in each flat together is a very key part of the patch panel solution. But it alone is not enough. Just like the car engine might be rated by most as one of the most important part of the car. But by itself it is not the car. And most of us do not go to the market and buy a good engine and keep it. We buy the car (solution) as solution is what it is usable. The full Patch Panel solution is that car.
Comparisons aside, just putting cables only has some serious drawbacks:
- If you put cables in conduits and let them hang around exposed, then they are susceptible to damage (for eg., rats in shaft, by construction workers ins haft, pulled by accident in apartment by kids, maids, interior workers, natural insulation degradation etc) potentially risking the integrity of the entire cable. Telecom cables are not as robust as electrical wires (especially optical fiber and cat6)
- It does not help resolve the conduit per flat identification problem.
- Fiber optic cables and connectors need to be housed in dust free environments, otherwise they become useless. This can only be achieved by terminating the ends and housing them in dust free housings (Patch panel and wall faceplate)
- If not connectorized, the connection change process still takes more time, due to splicing and connectorized jobs.
- Not connectorizing and terminating cables leads to greedily keeping long cable lengths on shaft side to eliminate risks of length being short and this causes lot of cable wastage.
- Some SP keep Floor distribution boxes at every floor (ACT and Airtel) but others like Pursuit keep one every 3 floors (to save ONT cost). So we do not know for sure how much cable length we should keep spare in shaft. Their is no reliable way to join copper, cat6 and fiber cables unless they are housed in a proper junction box.
Bottom line is keeping spare cable lengths and just laying cables is not a good medium to long term solution, if at all it is a solution in the first place.
The unique business value of the Patch panel solution for residents is to convert the entire process of taking a new connection or changing service providers ( a basic need and right of residents) a "plug and play" affair. Just like if you buy a car, you can just drive it off, rather than buying an engine and lugging that around in another transport.
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