Viavi Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAV) says it has won a deal to supply Openreach, BT’s broadband infrastructure subsidiary, with its Optical Network Monitoring System (ONMSi). Openreach is using the test system in support of its current Full Fibre broadband network deployment effort.
Use of the ONMSi enables Openreach to perform remotely a variety of tasks, including validating new construction, performing preactivation checks, and monitoring ongoing service, according to VIAVI. This ability saves costs, the company points out, as well as enables Openreach to fully centralize and automate monitoring processes with Openreach OSS and Field App requirements. Openreach has been able to establish a traceable, guided process for field and contractor labor workforces to oversee the build in a manner that reduces risk and ensures adherence to governance and compliance processes, VIAVI says.
“We want to maintain our position as the U.K.’s leading Full Fibre network by working with world-class partners, and VIAVI’s innovations in remote fiber testing will help us monitor and accelerate our network build whilst making sure we continue to deliver great experience for customers,” commented Peter Bell, director, network technology at Openreach.
“VIAVI has a longstanding relationship with Openreach, whose deployment and maintenance teams are utilizing our test solutions for their existing broadband networks,” added Manuel Mato, vice president, EMEA for VIAVI. “Over the last two years, we are pleased to have extended our partnership with Openreach to include the ONMSi platform, which proved to deliver significant improvements in scale, speed, and quality of FTTx networks. Moving forward, the ONMSi platform has been trusted to continue to drive further efficiencies and support Openreach’s Full Fibre program.”
Openreach plans to pass 20 million homes with fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) by the mid-to-late 2020s via the Full Fibre roll-out, assuming it has the right investment conditions (see, for example, "Openreach adds 3.2 million rural homes to Full Fibre roll-out plans"). The company says it is on track to reach 4.5 million premises by the end of March 2021.
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