Engineering for
deployment of FTTH technology

Client
Cogeco 

Mandate
As part of its strategic program for the deployment of fiber optic networks, Telecommunications Provider Cogeco has entrusted Infrastructel with a large-scale mandate to conduct comparative technological and economic studies, preliminary and detailed engineering, as well as coordination, monitoring and technical support during the execution of works for the deployment of FTTH networks.

Cogeco entrusted Infrastructel with FTTH feeding and distribution engineering for 44 sectors in Trois-Rivières, representing more than 20,000 Home Passes (HP). This mandate also included preliminary studies of 32 areas of the City of Kingston, Ontario, for a total of 10,000 HP.

Cogeco needed the expertises of a firm with the ability to support it not only in the technical execution of projects, but in the establishment of standards, in the management of a very large volume of equipment and materials and in the establishment of clear and effective communication and information transfer processes with these external partners.

Infrastructel has contributed significantly to the implementation of all the elements mentioned above, in addition to implementing more extensive monitoring activities when the networks built involved the construction of underground infrastructures.

Surveys had to take into account the different elements of the environment: railways, Trans-Energy corridor crossings, sector density, pole location (front lot, back lot) and occupancy level of strands as per DUSS requirements to perform pole load calculations as required.

We also performed the preliminary design by separating the design in two different deployment scenarios to determine the equipment placement and the best paths for the FTTH network deployment. The estimates of the two deployment methods were then compared to select the most economical method.

The design of the network at this stage also aimed to minimize the risk of permit refusals and the risks of preparatory work, including requests for types C4.

As part of this project, the works were entrusted to a contractor trough Cogeco’s general contract for the construction of the network. Our teams monitored the construction of the network in accordance with the plans and specifications developed and Cogeco's standards, including transmission test analysis (OTDR) and issuance of As Built plans at the end of the work.

Given our high level of expertise, Infrastructel has also been entrusted with quality oversight of all work in the Golden Horseshoe area (Burlington, Hamilton, Oakville, Niaraga Falls) in Ontario. A team of 4 resources was dedicated to these activities during the year 2015.

Challenges

• Managing a large amount of permits and dealing with tenant refusals
• Coordination between the client, the contractor and other external partners 
• The deadlines for implementation, given the strategic nature of the mandate