Fibre to the Home 

Total Network Solutions (Europe) Ltd was tasked by VX Fibre to build new fibre network in Stoke-on-Trent for delivering fibre to the home in the region. A three-year programme of different build areas throughout the Stoke-on-Trent area. A very challenging task of planning all elements involved with the project build including:•    Streetworks noticing and planning.
•    Excavations and reinstatement of public highways
•    Installation of fibre optic cabinets
•    installation of fibre optic cables
•    Testing of the new network to ensure the network was ready for customer installation.

    VX Fibre selected Total Network Solutions (Europe) Ltd for the build due to our previous experience in fibre optic network build within the area of fibre to the home (FTTH) having experience in civil engineering, fibre optic installation and design experience, and our ethos of getting it right first time. 

    The whole build was for more than 100,000 homes across Stoke-on-Trent and instead of conventional Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) build VX wanted direct fibre connections to properties which meant there was bandwidth sharing like conventional GPON networks. The network was designed based on direct buried network using multiple sub duct network from shelter locations and active cabinets for the distribution and 7mm micro ducts from subscriber cabinets to toby box outside residential properties, businesses and multi dwelling units (MDU’s).

    The whole city had to be dug up for the new fibre infrastructure to be installed. 
    There are lots of considerations that goes into planning a fibre network build and its not just how do we get the cable in the ground. Consideration of disruption to the public, businesses, schools, colleges, and highways, and planning with local authorities. 

      Successful delivery of the build enabled the client VX fibre to expand its footprint in Stoke-on-Trent area allowing new customers to have faster broadband speeds of up to 1 gigabit symmetrical service on the new fibre optic network that was installed by ourselves proving that TNS are a reliable trust worthy tier 1 contractor on the build contract. Our experience allowed us to use our knowledge and expertise and provide solutions as work arounds where the build would have had to stop and cause delays to the network build.