Optical Fibre In The Uk - Some More Equal Than Others

By Author: Guy Matthews Matthews
Total Articles: 16
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In the first part of our examination of the optical fibre network capacity available in the UK, we saw how there is plenty of fibre serving the country's major metropolitan areas and connecting them together. But there is a clear divide between those homes and businesses fortunate enough to be located near these well served routes, and whole swathes of the country which enjoy limited fibre penetration. We also saw how Geo is playing a key role in tackling this inequality.

But the truth is that even in areas which supposedly enjoy plentiful optical fibre network capacity from multiple network owners, there is much variance in the quality of what is available to enterprises and to service providers sourcing wholesale fibre capacity as the basis of value add services to offices and homes. The buyer must beware that not all fibre is the same.

Many optical fibre networks are running dangerously close to the limit of their transmission rate potential. Some are struggling with data rates of 10Gb/s on a single wavelength, posing their owners the difficulty of how to upgrade to a world that is rapidly heading in the direction ...
... of demand for 40Gb/s per wavelength transmission speeds and where an elite few are already prepared for a 100Gb/s future perhaps even before the standards that allow for this level of performance are ratified.

Geo is one of this elite group, with a core optical fibre network that has been designed and built specifically for high transmission rates, and installed to rigorous quality standards.

Furthermore Geo is able to continue to offer the highest possible quality of service because Geo's network has not grown piecemeal over time like many other networks, which suffer resultant variations in quality and reliability. It is the most recent national core fibre to be deployed in the UK.

Geo's readiness for a 100Gb/s world means that its customers are future-proofed. In the meantime, their present day needs are catered for better than most other networks can possibly manage. Geo suffers nothing like the rate of outages that bedevil some networks. It offers high levels of security and reliability, not to mention route diversity from other operators, all thanks to its use of the deep London sewer system and the widespread use of secure national gas pipeline routes.

For buyers of optical fibre capacity, there are other issues they must consider when choosing a network partner other than simply quality and performance.

It also matters how they are able to source capacity from the network's owner. Many providers of optical fibre capacity will only sell it to customers as part of a managed service, while Geo gives the customer a choice of an off-the-shelf service that covers all their needs, or something more bespoke created to specific requirements.

Ultimately, the Geo customer can choose to lease their own dedicated high quality fibre and therefore enjoy full control over an important enabler of their business processes.

In all cases, Geo's pricing model is transparent, straightforward, open and fair, and offers great value as well as flexibility to those concerned about future capex and opex commitments in an uncertain world.

Beneficiaries of this flexibility include financial services companies, many of which are well equipped for owning and managing their own dedicated fibre network. Many other organisations with a major data management and storage need, from media companies to government departments, are also recognising the strengths of Geo's business model over those of rival network operators. So too are many mid-sized operations that lack the in-house expertise to manage their own fibre network and so are glad of the services that Geo can deliver along with the fastest and most secure network capacity on the market.

In conclusion, do not make the assumption, when looking for a fibre network partner, of assuming that all options are broadly the same. It is worth digging a little deeper to find what you are really paying for.