Sterlite Technologies (STL) to help Openreach build full fibre network

Sterlite Technologies Limited (STL) has been selected by British telecommunications company Openreach to help build its new full fibre network in the UK.

The company will be responsible for providing optical cable solutions for Openreach’s new ‘Full Fibre’ broadband network which is designed to be ultra-fast and ultra-reliable.

STL will deliver millions of kilometres of optical fibre cable for supporting the build of the full fibre network over the coming three years.

Openreach will use the expertise and innovation of STL for fast tracking its Full Fibre build program and drive efficiency. The partnership with Openreach consolidates a 14-year-old technology and supply relationship, said STL.

Ankit Agarwal – CEO Connectivity Solutions Business, STL, said: “We are extremely excited to join hands with Openreach as a key optical solutions partner to build Full Fibre broadband networks for millions in the UK.

“Our customised, 5G-ready optical solutions are ideally suited for Openreach’s future-proof network requirements and we believe they will enable next-gen digital experiences for homes and businesses across UK. This partnership will be a major step towards our mission of transforming billions of lives through digital networks.”

Sterlite Technologies (STL) to help Openreach build full fibre network. Image courtesy of stl.tech.

According to STL, Openreach will look to leverage its Opticonn solution, which is a specialized set of fibre, cable, and interconnect offerings that can help with 30% faster installation.

Openreach will also get access to STL’s Celesta, which is a high-density optical fibre cable with a capacity of up to 6,912 optical fibres. STL claimed that the compact design is 26% slimmer when compared to conventional loose tube cables, which enables 2,000m of cable to be installed in less than an hour.

The company said that its high density super-slim cable will also aid in minimizing the use of plastic across the new network of Openreach.

Kevin Murphy – MD for Fibre and Network Delivery at Openreach said: “Our Full Fibre network build is going faster than ever. We need partners like STL on board to not only help sustain that momentum, but also to provide the skills and innovation to help us go even further.

“We know the network we’re building can deliver a host of social and economic benefits – from boosting UK productivity to enabling more home working and fewer commuting trips – but we’re also trying to make this one of the greenest network builds in the world. So, it’s good to know that STL’s compact and efficient designs will contribute to this in a significant way.”