21815 - SCTE Broadband Feb2023 COMPLETE v3

59 Vol. 45 No. 1 - February 2023 Issue technical An intuitive, “first time right” solution Telcom Group, established in 2014, operates three brands: Telcom provides hyperfast internet to commercial properties; ClearFibre delivers hyperfast internet to residential properties; and WeFibre provides low-cost hyperfast fibre connectivity to rural properties. Currently, WeFibre is bringing fibre to thousands of homes as “Phase 1” of an ambitious rollout. “Successfully and cost-efficiently realising approach to build methodologies, without using a huge variety of products to overcome different challenges,” explains Thom Seddon, CTO, Telcom Group. “Some areas use long lengths of aerial cable, whereas others use duct cabling. However, in some parts of the designated network route, there are no ducts, or ducts are very full or collapsed. We also have to ensure everything is compliant with Openreach requirements, as we’re also using their PIA infrastructure. Everything has to work together seamlessly. Guidelines for records are strict, so product solutions also need to make compliance easier.” Making smart choices “There are hundreds of ways of doing things. We needed to create a clear view of the options and choose wisely. Working closely with CommScope UK Channel Partner Passcomm, who helped specify the appropriate solutions, we examined passive options and their implications for future density and capacity.” The need for a fully integrated end-to-end solution led to the decision to use a range of CommScope products, including fibre-optic closures, cabling and customer premises boxes. “We looked at multiple vendors and options, and it made sense to do everything with CommScope. The end-to-end portfolio is very broad, covering all available network architectures, and product availability is high. We can obtain everything we needed from one vendor. Consistent technology, terminology, purchasing processes and high availability make things much easier for us. Especially considering the total number of premises we aim to connect in the next few years.” Passcomm, with its substantial product and network knowledge, is acting as a trusted advisor, bringing ideas, products and best practices that have been successfully deployed across the UK altnet marketplace. By working closely with CommScope field application engineers and product line managers, Passcomm is always up to date with new products, installation and deployment developments. “Their advice was essential to making the best selections and combining these in a smart way, as this requires extensive knowledge of a vast portfolio and how products relate to real-world situations,” adds Thom. “CommScope’s TENIO products are also used in our metro builds. Our field teams have tried a wide variety of options. In their feedback, they consistently state that TENIO is very easy to use. Cable management is excellent, and it performs well in different use cases, whether you need very high core counts or lower core. That’s really practical.” Accelerating planning and rollout Telcom Group also decided to use hardened connectivity for all drops. This allows them to build out the network in an efficient way and is also far easier for field engineers to work with. CommScope’s NOVUX portfolio for overhead as well as underground usage is making inventory management and installation easier. Says Thom: “Installation teams can carry a single set of cables, accessories and tools, for example. At first, we didn’t even realise that we could ‘carbon copy’ overhead and underground deployments. That was a big win for us, which accelerated our planning process quite a bit. Working with CommScope products also ensures we’re always compliant with Openreach requirements.” Stuart Read, sales and marketing director, Passcomm Ltd, comments: “We offered a variety of options we knew would meet Telcom Group’s requirements, but didn’t push them in any direction—the final choices were theirs. The benefits of certain products were immediately clear, such as the universal S P O N S O R E D C O N T E N T