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Multi-Family receive broadband upgrade regardless of the silence of their landlords .
Thanks to TILPA , broadband operators can now gain access to a block of flats 35 days after the operator ’ s request to the landlord . It is estimated that an additional 2100 UK residential buildings a year will now be connected as a result .
Lending MDUs a helping hand
It is understandable why providers would devote more time and resources to connecting Single Family Units ( SFUs ), such as houses , as they can lay fiber more easily and have higher success when it comes to take-up rates .
And while broadband providers can more easily access MDUs in the UK , the challenge posed by fiber installations remains . Providers must navigate various complex obstacles when laying fiber to MDUs . Installing fiber to every flat is expensive in terms of labor costs and disruptive to customers . There may also be a lack of fiber ducts and technical or historical preservations that stand in the way of rapid and cost-effective deployments .
In addition to the logistical hurdles , approvals can hold the process up considerably . Broadband operators must await the building owner permissions or until their silence period has reached its limit . If a landlord , on their own accord , wishes to upgrade their property ’ s broadband , they will need resident and business permissions to access each building and apartment .
Extending existing connectivity
As customers crave better connectivity and landlords , more tenants , broadband providers must consider all viable options . One could be using the building infrastructure that already exists within these MDUs . As many of these buildings were built in the 20th century , they have existing coaxial cabling and copper piping to every floor from the basement upwards . A time and cost saving alternative to pulling new cables .
Fiber access extension technology promises multi-gigabit fixed broadband speeds and avoids the cosmetic damage and noise complaints typical of a large-scale and taxing fiber deployment . Broadband providers are in a win-win situation : they can continue their fiber roll-out at pace and overcome the challenges typical of an MDU .
A more cost-effective and less complex upgrade of broadband should keep customers happy and broadband providers satisfied . ■
For a list of the sources used in this article , please contact the editor .
Helge
Tiainen www . incoax . com
Helge Tiainen is Business Development Director at InCoax Networks . InCoax Networks AB repurposes existing property coaxial networks in fiber and fixed wireless access ( FWA ) extension deployments for Communication Service Providers ( CSP ) globally . The technology is a high performance , future proof , reliable and cost-effective complement , that reduces installation time and improves take-up rate , to boost digital inclusion and Internet access for all .
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