In order to deepen its market penetration into UK’s urban and rural markets, accelerate FTTx adoption, and meet the growing bandwidth demands of the nation’s citizens, UK’s largest network operator recently invested in increasing network fiber capacity with HFCL’s 96-fiber Ultra Lightweight (ULW) aerial cable solution.
The operator faced significant challenges, including the need to reduce aerial cable pole congestion while minimizing installation costs. The 96F cable offers a practical solution, as it can be installed using the same clamps as the 48F cable. This compatibility significantly reduces installation expenses. Another major requirement was to create a solution that could both meet their robust safety and performance requirements, while cost-effectively increasing network capacity. Further, with regards to design and performance challenges, the operator required a specific solution with increased fiber density and a very tight cable loading window of ≥ 1300 N (292 lbf) and ≤ 2000 N (450 lbf). The lower limit was set to support storm loading conditions and upper limit ensured the cable would before pulling the poles.
96F cable doubled the fibre capacity
With customer centricity as the core value at HFCL, the company developed customized 96F ULW cables to offer seamless compatibility with the current connectivity infrastructure and installation methods. The high-density design of the 96F cable met all customer’s requirements as it doubled the fiber capacity while maintaining the same diameter as 48F cable. This not only enhanced the network's efficiency but also enabled the network operator to maximize the use of physical space in cable pathways, which is crucial for overhead deployments.
HFCL further ensured that the 96F cable adhered to the stringent safety standards such as NESC Light category and complies with various global cable performance standards. The new 96F ULW aerial cable passed all customer-specified testing requirements, including a rigorous 16-day overhead installation test with 5 cycles of simulated storm loading. Over 2,000 km of the 96F ULW cable have been provided to support the initial phase of deployment. Read case study here.
Further, HFCL’s strong in-house R&D capabilities for developing a robust product portfolio has led to the company receiving its first patent in optical fiber cable technology for the 96F ULW aerial cable. HFCL’s expertise in innovating and customizing next-gen solutions within a quick turnaround time, while ensuring local availability and sustainable manufacturing practices enables the company to emerge as ‘a partner of choice’ for all UK telecom providers.
For more information, please contact us at HFCL
