NICOL LOW BLOWING FIBRE
OF THE BROADBAND ROLLOUT COMPRESSORS AND THE FUTURE
With the rising demand for data-intensive technologies placing increasing pressure on the UK’s copper communications network, the installation of faster fibre-to-the-home cabling is a top priority for internet service providers. Yet with technicians relying on compressors that are prone to excessive noise, overheating and lower duty cycles, blowing-in installations remained inefficient through 2021, hampering rollout. With this in mind, Nicol Low , COO for Vert Technologies, explores how technological innovation can address this problem and keep the UK’s fibre broadband rollout on track into 2022.
A ccording to figures from Such sea changes in working arrangements, though clearly unexpected in March 2020, have had permanent repercussions for the country’s workforce. Staff who previously considered the office commute a constant part of their daily routine are increasingly demanding a ‘hybrid’ approach of both home and office working in the future. the UK’s Office of National Statistics (ONS) last year, 37% of employees worked from home last year – a rise of 10 percentage points from 2019. Specifically, the ONS found that 85% of employees surveyed on the topic held such views, with a better work-life balance being a primary motivator for those considering homeworking. Intriguingly, businesses are increasingly allowing this practice to continue beyond the pandemic. The same ONS statistics point out that 24% of businesses that did not permanently cease trading were looking to increase homeworking going forward. CHANGINGATTITUDES More impactful still is which sector was leading the way in the adoption of hybrid working models, with the information and
communications industry recording the highest proportion (49%) within the survey sample. Considering August Statista data suggesting 1.5 million people currently work in this sector alone, the challenge for ISPs to provide fast enough home internet speeds for the modern working world is highly acute. In a country where, according to Ofcom, only 25% of homes currently have access to full fibre broadband, the pressure for ISPs is even greater still. GOVERNMENT TARGETS The Government is working towards ensuring more homes are connected to faster broadband, using multiple technologies such as fixed wireless access, multimedia over coax, and fibre optic broadband. However, with the latter often preferred, particularly in more population- dense urban environments, it is worth looking at governmental progress against targets over 2021. Published in November 2020, the Government’s National Infrastructure Strategy targeted a minimum of 85% gigabit-capable coverage across the UK by 2025, with additional steps to be taken to accelerate rollout to achieve 100%. Yet it goes without saying that this pledge
has proved challenging, with the ongoing transition to hybrid working models making both personal and business need more pressing. Consequently, any barriers encountered have the potential to be exacerbated by these external pressures. This ongoing transition has indeed proved challenging, particularly as the UK’s current copper- based broadband infrastructure was built for older technologies such as landline telephones and cable television. With that in mind, statistics from a February 2021 Ipsos MORI report into the Government’s Superfast Broadband Programme make for interesting reading. Specifically, the document showed that while 96% of UK homes can access superfast broadband, previous Ofcom reports calculated that 11 million compatible households are missing out on this technology. SLOWERCONTINUEDROLLOUT It must also be noted that the Government’s original target for 2025 was not for all homes to be connected to gigabit-cable broadband, but full-fibre. However, this pledge was revised in November 2020, becoming technology-neutral due to logistical concerns about the rollout.
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INDUSTRY FOCUS 2021/2022
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