Optical fibre is ultimately the preferred technology for next generation UK broadband and works extremely well for the provision of services to large businesses in central London.
However, there are considerable hurdles to overcome if it is to be seen as an alternative to BT’s local access network in residential areas, according to Chris Smedley, Chief Executive of Geo.
His comments come on the back of today’s announcement that Ofcom will investigate whether the roll-out of fibre to the door of homes and businesses can be accelerated by using the UK’s alternative utility infrastructures, including the sewers.
Geo is well placed to comment on the issue. As well as providing dedicated fibre networks to broadband suppliers such as Carphone Warehouse and Tiscali based on the long-term lease of optical fibre infrastructure, it operates an 80km (and growing) optical fibre network based in Thames Water’s London sewer system, having owned the network since 2006. It is the only sewer-based optical fibre network in London.
Smedley comments: “The large trunk sewer network in London’s Victorian sewer system is ideal for the installation of high-speed optical fibre. There’s plenty of headroom down there for installation and the cables can be pinned to the ceiling of the sewers out of harm’s way, making it very secure.
It’s also low cost, quick to install and avoids the public disruption which comes from digging up the streets. The end result is a very secure network built well away from other optical fibre networks dug in street trenches alongside other networks such as gas, electricity, water and traffic management and all the disruption and loss of service which results. This makes a sewer-based fibre network an ideal solution for large businesses.”
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