DIETER STUDER RURAL FTTH ROLLOUT
rural business cases more attractive. Telecommunications providers can partner with power companies to leverage their fibre backbones and expedite fibre installations. Rural UK is smaller in scale than the rural US, but per-home connection costs are still high. Shared access to ducts and poles avoids the need for time-consuming infrastructure builds. Altnets (alternative network providers) and incumbents co-invest in shared infrastructure, to improve ROI and incentivising rural expansion. Regulator OFCOM mandates access to incumbent Openreach’s infrastructure for other providers, creating a collaborative environment, cutting costs and deployment times. Altnets like CityFibre and Gigaclear benefit from such programs, focusing investments on connecting homes rather than duplicating infrastructure. Across Europe, deployment costs in remote areas vary significantly. EU guidelines on infrastructure sharing streamline multi-party agreements, reducing deployment times and costs. Regulations encourage reuse of public infrastructure, such as railways and roads, for fibre projects, while cross- border sharing and EU co-funding mitigate risks and expenses. Countries like Germany and France rely on shared utility ducts and municipal networks, while Scandinavia often uses dark fibre networks across municipal borders to expedite rollouts. The Baltic States have pooled resources for shared rural fibre infrastructure. EU directives, such as the Broadband Cost Reduction Directive, and initiatives like the “Connecting Europe Facility,” further facilitate cross-border collaboration and funding for rural broadband projects Community engagement: Active community involvement reduces costs, builds trust, and facilitates smoother implementation. Residents can co-fund projects, share local knowledge, and assist with deployment, reducing financial and logistical challenges. Clear community demand helps providers secure funding and prioritise projects, while ongoing engagement supports infrastructure maintenance and upgrades. Partnering with local authorities to streamline permitting and access to land or poles further accelerates deployment and cuts administrative hurdles. Broadband cooperatives can enable local funding and labor contributions. Pre-registration campaigns improve ROI by securing commitments from residents. Openreach’s Community Fibre Partnerships in the UK engage residents to co-fund projects, while grassroots efforts, such as those in Balquhidder, Scotland, have helped reduce logistical
and financial barriers. European programs such as LEADER (Liaison Entre Actions de Développement de l’Économie Rurale) support community- driven broadband projects. As seen in rural cooperatives in Sweden and Germany, residents contributing labour or funding fosters accountability and sustainability. To effectively engage communities in rural rollouts, providers should educate residents through community meetings, highlighting the benefits of fibre broadband and deployment requirements. Empowering local leaders to coordinate efforts ensures clear communication, while leveraging national, regional, or EU funding offsets costs and encourages participation. Collaboration with local authorities to streamline permitting and access to land or poles further reduces logistical barriers and accelerates deployment. SOLUTIONS FROM REAL-WORLD PROJECTS Based on our own experience and case studies spanning decades, we’d like to share a few practical considerations. Rural rollouts often require incremental expansions based on demand and funding availability. Using scalable and modular infrastructure allows for incremental network expansion, optimising costs by aligning investments with actual demand growth. Flexible modular fibre distribution points enable cost-effective network growth. Make sure to factor in enough time for coordinating with multiple governmental agencies to obtain all the necessary permits for infrastructure deployment. When facing challenging terrain and dispersed populations, efficient installation techniques can reduce costs and deployment time. Utilising innovative installation techniques such as micro- trenching and aerial fibre deployments can help overcome geographic challenges and significantly reduce installation time and costs. High Density splice closures are designed to support flexible and scalable FTTx network expansions. Future-proof infrastructure is key. Implementing high-capacity fibre networks anticipates future demand, improving long-term ROI by supporting additional services beyond broadband. We suggest deploying high-quality fibre components that minimise maintenance costs and ensure network reliability, and building networks with room for technological upgrades, such as transitioning to 10G or higher-capacity services. Use of standardised, high-quality components that work for different population densities and network topologies ensures reliability and reduced maintenance costs across a
wide variety of environments. Make sure to use field-hardened components that have a proven track record in harsh environments. Providing comprehensive training for local installation teams ensured proper deployment and maintenance, enhancing network longevity and performance. Also consider long-term network maintenance and support. A sustainable FTTx rollout requires networks that are easy to maintain and upgrade. Designing networks with maintenance simplicity in mind, including accessible points for repairs or upgrades and ongoing technical support and guidance for local operators. KEYS TO A SUCCESSFUL RURAL ROLLOUT Not every approach will work across every region. Some strategies are less effective or feasible due to regional differences in geography, governance, and market structures. Fixed wireless and satellite solutions may be the logical choice in some areas - despite lower speeds compared to fibre - whereas other areas with higher population densities and stricter speed/reliability standards, generally prioritise fibre. Where the EU mandates collaboration and reducing deployment barriers, the UK tends to prioritise private sector innovation, feeling that over-regulation could stifle progress. Streamlined administrative processes, public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), government support, collaborative approaches, infrastructure sharing, community engagement and innovative technologies are essential for overcoming the challenges of rural FTTx rollouts. By adopting these best practices, rural areas everywhere can bridge the digital divide and bring high-speed connectivity to underserved areas.
Dieter Studer, Market Manager North America, R&M.
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ISSUE 40 | Q1 2025
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