Members of the FTTH Council Europe are active in every segment of the fibre to the home (FTTH) value chain. The Deployment and Operations (D&O) Committee is the place where technology experts come together to discuss, debate and educate the broader telecom ecosystem and help industry stakeholders understand how to deploy high quality full-fibre networks, addressing the large variety of challenges they face throughout Europe.

From design and planning, to optimal technology selection, roll out of operations, testing and maintenance, our key publication, the FTTH Handbook, brings together state-of-the-art information and recommendations to help every FTTH professional in the industry. Its 9th edition was unveiled on 15th September 2021 during the FTTH Virtual Conference 2021; it is already available for members of the FTTH Council Europe on a complementary basis and can be purchased by the general public here.

5G is fibre’s best friend! The D&O Committee has undertaken two valuable pieces of research to evaluate the potential benefits that are brought about through converged planning of FTTH and 5G backhaul networks.  We presented the results of these studies in a recent webinar, you can access the replay here.

More recently, the Committee has produced a white paper which details the reasons underpinning our position in favour of full-fibre compared to alternative broadband technologies. 

The role of IT in accelerating FTTH Deployments and Operations

To meet current user demand, enable business plans, and reach EU digital goals, the number of activated connections must be maximised. Furthermore, network uptime must be maximised, more and faster connections and flexible configuration options are needed, and stakeholders require regular insights related to planning and budgets. IT, in particular design automation and remote testing, can be a large part of the solution. However, this requires making the best possible use of data and software processes.

Implementing a comprehensive IT strategy covering the full Plan, Design, Build and Operate lifecycle chain offers clear benefits and enhanced efficiency.

The white paper covers various topics including IT solutions for key challenges faced by operators in deploying and operating fibre networks, addressing FTTx network pain points at the Plan, Design, Build, and Operate stages. It discusses the benefits of IT solutions for each phase of the FTTH network lifecycle, highlighting key IT solutions such as design automation and remote testing. The white paper also explores optimizing every phase of the network deployment lifecycle, provides a case study on improving the number of homes passed, and looks at the future of IT in the fiber industry.