Original article Total Telecom:Read More
Contributed Article
By Richard Moyes, Digital Solutions Business Director at Prysmian
With universal broadband access now recognised as a vital enabler of economic growth, some challenging targets remain.
At present, 86% of homes can connect to gigabit-capable broadband, but the remaining 14%—largely rural and remote properties—remain underserved. By 2032, the target is for 99% of premises to be connected.
Achieving this will require thousands of kilometres of new fibre, but equally significant is the need for upgrades to existing networks to meet rising demand.
Rising demand, shrinking copper
Households are now full-time bandwidth hubs, with simultaneous gaming, streaming, video calls, and online schooling. The copper switch-off by 2027 will transition legacy phone lines to digital solutions such as VOIP, further increasing reliance on broadband networks. In 2023 alone, UK broadband use rose by 10.5%.
This growth places increasing pressure on existing fibre infrastructure. Inferior fibre that cannot support higher bandwidths may soon face obsolescence, driving the need for network upgrades.
Smaller, more efficient cables are key to these improvements: they allow operators to retrofit new high-performance fibre into already congested ducts through a process known as overblowing, saving time and cost.
Prysmian’s Sirocco Extreme 864f microduct cable, for example, packs 864 fibres into just 9.8mm, achieving a record density of 11.5 fibres per square millimetre. This makes it possible to install in ducts as small as 12mm, unlocking greater network flexibility without disruptive civil works.
Beyond traditional fibre: The promise of hollow-core
The next frontier in broadband performance lies in hollow-core fibre technology. Unlike traditional glass-core fibres, hollow core features an air-filled core supported by precision-engineered anti-resonant structures.
This groundbreaking design creates a near-perfect mirror effect, enabling data transmission at transmission speeds nearly 50% faster and distances extended by 1.5 times. That means lower latency and connectivity stretching from 60km up to 90km. Prysmian, in partnership with Relativity Networks, is at the forefront of this development.
The economics of longevity
While innovation promises exciting future capacity, the durability of today’s fibre infrastructure is just as critical. Longevity is important because of the serious consequence of cable failure.
Cable replacement can be expensive: up to 60% of the total investment cost of a fibre optic network, particularly one in a congested urban environment, can be attributable to cable installation. As a comparison, the capital cost of the cable itself and connectivity hardware is about a fifth of that, at around 12% of the total investment.
Installing inferior quality fibre could result in some ISPs facing expensive rebuilds sooner than anticipated, rather than undertaking simple equipment upgrades. Where cable replacement is needed, innovative installation techniques, such as overblowing, will allow for retrofitting cable in existing ductwork without the need for extensive ground works.
Prysmian’s high-quality Sirocco fibre has been designed to be overblown. It has been tested for a 50-year field lifespan, giving ISPs confidence in its resilience.
For investors, longevity is equally important. As the UK broadband sector consolidates, Alt-nets with inferior quality networks risk devaluation, while robust networks built with premium fibre offer stronger long-term value.
Building for tomorrow
Quality is the foundation of longevity. Using high-grade materials and ensuring system compatibility between cables and connectivity components minimises faults and maximises efficiency. Prysmian, as one of the few manufacturers able to deliver complete solutions, provides operators with not just the products, but also the technical expertise to future-proof networks.
The UK’s broadband ambitions rest on more than just hitting coverage targets—they depend on building networks that can withstand decades of growth, demand, and technological change. With the right fibre, Britain can create an inclusive, resilient digital infrastructure fit for the next half-century.
Want to learn more about Prysmian and the networks for tomorrow? Join them on Stand 141 at Connected Britain 2025 taking place next week! Free tickets are available