FIBRE IN WATER

THE GOVERNMENT IS catching on to a potentially much cheaper way of delivering fibre connectivity, without digging up fields and roads. In-pipe communications places the fibre inside existing water mains, allowing gigabit links to be established very quickly, with the minimum of fuss.

Civil works can account for 80 per cent of the cost of building new gigabit-capable broadband networks. If successful, it will also connect villages considered uneconomical for for fibre deployment.

Water companies are already using fibre optic in water pipes for their own reasons: to deploy sensors to help detect leaks faster.

Two years ago Severn Water installed a fibre optic cable to ‘listen’ for potential leaks, and also detect water “pirates”. vowing to install fibre in every water main eventually.