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Full Fibre GPON Network Deployment in Staffordshire

THE PROJECT
AT A GLANCE

Internet Central Fibre Build at Beaconside Business Park Delivered by TNS Comms

Internet Central required a high-quality, operator-grade fibre build in Staffordshire to deliver reliable gigabit connectivity into a business-critical commercial area: Beaconside Business Park.

 

TNS Comms was appointed to provide a full turnkey service covering:

  • network design and route engineering

  • utilisation of Openreach PIA infrastructure

  • underground surveys and duct validation

  • civil engineering for duct/chamber remediation and new build sections

  • fibre blowing and high-standard splice jointing

  • GPON splitter node deployment

  • fibre testing, certification, and commissioning

  • end-customer connections and activation support

 

The outcome was a scalable GPON full fibre network that enables Internet Central to connect multiple tenants quickly and reliably — with design headroom for future expansion and upgrades.

Project Scope: Fibre Build in Staffordshire

TNS delivered a complete turnkey fibre deployment solution for Internet Central.

The project included:

  • 4.8km fibre spine installation from BT Stafford Exchange

  • 4km fibre deployment within Beaconside Business Park

  • Underground test rod and rope surveys

  • Fibre blowing, splicing and testing

  • PIA duct utilisation

  • Desilting and chamber clearance

  • Blockage removal and duct remediation

  • New civil engineering works (chambers and duct)

  • GPON splitter node installation

  • End-customer fibre connections and activation

Spine Fibre Installation

BT Stafford Exchange to Beaconside (4.8km)

A high-count fibre spine cable was blown from BT Stafford Exchange to Beaconside Business Park using sub-duct within Openreach PIA infrastructure.


Key Delivery Elements:
•    Installation of sub-duct within existing PIA duct routes
•    Air-blown fibre deployment across 4.8km
•    Spine cable feeding multiple GPON distribution nodes
•    Scalable architecture for future network expansion


This fibre spine provides the primary backhaul for Internet Central’s growing Staffordshire network.

  1. Build an exchange-fed spine from BT Stafford Exchange to Beaconside Business Park

  2. Create a structured access network inside the business park for multi-tenant connectivity

  3. Use PIA fibre installation methods wherever possible to reduce cost and time

  4. Remediate poor underground infrastructure (silt, water, blockages, duct collapse)

  5. Deploy a scalable GPON architecture using splitter nodes

  6. Provide full testing and certification (OTDR + light level validation)

  7. Connect and activate business customers as part of the delivery

Project Objectives

What the Internet Central’s objectives for this FTTP network build in Staffordshire were

How TNS Comms Designed the Network for a Wholesale-Scalable Deployment

This Fibre Build Staffordshire project was engineered to work as a scalable operator network — not a single-site install.

TNS Comms designed the network around:

GPON Architecture with Splitter Nodes Positioned for Coverage

•    Splitter node locations selected to minimise customer drop lengths
•    Chamber selection based on access, safety, and fibre management capability
•    Optical planning designed to maintain strong margins across the 4.8km spine distance

Exchange-Fed Backbone (Spine) with Growth Capacity

•    A high-count fibre spine route from BT Stafford Exchange to Beaconside
•    Capacity planning for future tenant growth and new take-up
•    Fibre allocation strategy to support new splitter nodes without re-building the spine
•    Route engineering to ensure maintainable access points via chambers

GPON Architecture with Splitter Nodes Positioned for Coverage

•    Split strategy selected to control insertion loss and preserve light levels
•    Splice planning to minimise unnecessary joints
•    Testing points and OTDR reference strategy built into commissioning plans

4.8km Spine Fibre Installation Staffordshire Using Sub-Duct in PIA

TNS Comms installed 4.8km of spine fibre from BT Stafford Exchange to Beaconside Business Park.

Key Delivery Steps include:

  • confirming route feasibility through PIA ducts

  • installing protective sub-duct within existing duct where required

  • deploying fibre using air-blown techniques for speed and reduced cable stress

  • maintaining compliance with bend radius, pull forces, and duct occupancy constraints

  • creating structured access points for distribution feed into the business park

The spine is the foundation of the network, feeding Beaconside’s splitter nodes and distribution routes.

4km Business Park Fibre Installation for Rapid Customer Connections

Inside Beaconside, TNS Comms installed an additional 4km of fibre optic cabling to create a structured access network for business premises.

This included:

  • distribution fibre routes engineered for multi-tenant coverage

  • fibre access points positioned for efficient drops

  • chamber and duct planning to enable quick connection of new customers

  • integration pathways for MDU business premises and multi-unit commercial buildings

This design reduces time-to-connect and supports scalable delivery as demand grows.

GPON Splitter Strategy for Business Park Connectivity

To support performance, scalability and operational simplicity, TNS Comms deployed a structured splitter strategy.

Challanges

Silted and Flooded Manholes

A major obstacle in this Fibre Build Staffordshire project was underground infrastructure condition.

 

Many chambers were found:

  • filled with heavy silt

  • holding standing water

  • containing debris and sediment restricting duct access

Remediation Delivered by TNS

  • mechanical desilting

  • pumped water extraction

  • chamber cleaning and reinstatement

  • safe access restoration for engineering works

 

This step was essential to avoid cable damage, joint contamination, and long-term maintenance issues.

Our Engineering Solution

  • duct rodding and clearance

  • sub-duct installation where routes were recoverable

  • targeted new civil engineering for chambers and duct where routes were not recoverable

  • route re-engineering to maintain continuity and minimise disruption​

 

This combination of remediation plus new civils enabled the deployment to proceed without compromising network quality.

Blocked or Collapsed Duct Routes

Legacy duct routes created further challenges:

  • complete blockages preventing rodding

  • restrictions caused by historic cabling

  • collapsed sections that made PIA routes unusable in parts

Air-Blown Fibre for Speed and Reduced Cable Stress

Air-blown fibre supports:

  • efficient long-distance installation

  • reduced cable stress compared to pulling

  • improved installation speedfuture maintenance flexibility

TNS used air-blown techniques to install:

  • 4.8km spine fibre in sub-duct

  • 4km distribution fibre in the business park

Splice Jointing Standards (Fusion Splicing)

TNS delivered structured splice jointing using fusion splicing across spine and distribution. This attention to splice quality directly supports optical performance and reduces fault rates over time.

What We Completed:

  • joint planning to minimise insertion loss

  • fusion splicing with controlled environment processes

  • integration splices for splitter nodes

  • tray-managed fibre routing and labelling

  • joint enclosures installed to operator-grade standards

OTDR Testing and Optical Light Level Verification

TNS completed a full commissioning and certification programme including:

  • ​end-to-end optical light level tests

  • splice loss measurement and verification

  • OTDR testing (commonly at 1310nm / 1550nm depending on test plan)

  • optical power budget confirmation

  • continuity validation for each route

  • documentation pack prepared for operator handover

MDU Business Fibre Solutions in Commercial Buildings

Beaconside includes multi-unit commercial properties requiring structured connectivity.

TNS supported MDU-style business connectivity through:

  • fibre allocation strategy per building/unit

  • fibre routing design to support multiple tenants

  • termination readiness for rapid installs

  • efficient drop pathways from splitter nodes

This reduced install time and supported fast customer onboarding as businesses moved in or upgraded services.

Customer Drops, Termination and Activation Support

TNS Comms provided more than infrastructure delivery.

We supported Internet Central through end-customer readiness, including:

  • fibre drops from network access points to premises

  • termination and ONT readiness steps (as required per service model)

  • service testing at customer endpoints

  • activation support to get customers live quickly

 

This “build + connect” approach is a key differentiator for altnets needing rapid revenue realisation after rollout.

Benefits of Full Fibre Business Connectivity Staffordshire

This project enhanced Beaconside’s competitiveness and enabled Internet Central to deliver strong full fibre propositions to local businesses.

Beaconside businesses benefited from:

Higher Performance & Productivity

  • improved cloud application performance

  • reliable video conferencing and unified communications

  • reduced latency for critical workflows

Reliability & Business Continuity

•    fewer faults compared to legacy copper solutions
•    stable optical network performance
•    improved SLA capability for business-grade services

Scalability & Growth

•    connectivity built for expanding tenant demand
•    GPON architecture supports service upgrades
•    infrastructure future-proofed for higher bandwidth requirements
 

TNS Comms – A Delivery Partner for Operator-Grade Fibre Builds

This project enhanced Beaconside’s competitiveness and enabled Internet Central to deliver strong full fibre propositions to local businesses.

For altnets and wholesale network operators, deployment success is measured by:

  • repeatability

  • optical performance

  • build quality

  • cost control

  • speed to revenue

  • documentation standards

  • customer activation capability

This Fibre Build Staffordshire case study demonstrates TNS Comms’ capability across:

  • fibre blowing at scale

  • fusion splicing and structured jointing

  • OTDR testing and certification

  • customer connections and activation support

  • network design for GPON deployments

  • PIA fibre installation and route recovery

  • civils and chamber/duct construction

Planning a Fibre Build Staffordshire Rollout?

If you’re an altnet or wholesale network operator expanding across Staffordshire or the wider Midlands, TNS Comms provides: ​

  • network design and optical planning

  • PIA fibre installation and route remediation

  • OTDR testing, certification and documentation

  • civils, chambers and duct construction

  • fibre blowing, splice jointing and splitter installation

  • customer connection delivery and activation support

Jointing and Testing FAQ

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