Fibre Optic Network Planning

Planning your NETWORK

MTD Civils and Network Planning Department

Our fibre network planning team is ready to assist you in planning your next network. Fibre optic network design and planning refers to the unique processes leading to the installation and operation of a fibre-optic network. This includes determining the type of communication system which will be carried over the network, the geographic layout, the equipment required and the fibre network over which it will operate. Planning a fibre-optic network can also require component selection, placement, installation practices, testing, troubleshooting and network equipment installation and startup. We also have to consider the documentation, maintenance and planning for restoration in the event of a future issue with the network. The planning of the network must precede the installation and must be completed to estimate the cost of the project and the feasibility of the area. planning not only affects the technical aspects of the installation but the business aspects as well. Our planning team consists of 4 in-house planners which give us the capacity to plan for up to 3000 homes past per month. This means our team can hand over completed plans for fibre networks at an ideal pace. Not only is our team one of the larger ones we also have experience in planning for various types of networks ie trenched networks and overhead networks for SDU’s and MDU’s. We offer multiple solutions for each complex and suburb build doing our best to supply a cost-effective route as well as an aesthetically pleasing route. This is best done with an experienced team as someone with our kind of knowledge is ideally suited for assessing the feasibility of an area while minimizing the issues a build may face.

Our Planning Process

Our first point of call is to conduct a desktop study to determine where to feed each house the fibre from. Next, we would make an appointment to conduct a site visit, allowing us to assess the area or MDU accurately and look for the best route possible for the fibre network. When conducting a site visit we take ample photos and measurements for our planning so we don’t have to come back or miss anything we should take into account. Once the site visit has been conducted we would begin the drawing up of the plans. After the plans have been successfully drawn up we would conduct a follow-up visit at the MDU to explain the plan to the complex manager or representative. If the representative or manager are happy they would then sign off the fibre network plan. Once the build has been completed the planning team will also draw up an as-build plan to give to the client to keep as a reference of where the fibre was installed. This is a good way to manage community engagement within the building phase as our planners are a part of the ground team thereby always being ready to answer questions community members may have.

Our Planning software

One-Map (one of the most up-to-date programmes in terms of infrastructure, Google Earth and Visio.

It is our responsibility to take into account the aesthetic impact of a fibre project and as such we will do our best to minimize the need for changing a neighbourhood, for example where a municipality has existing telecommunications infrastructure we will do what we can to use the existing infrastructure instead of having to use new infrastructure. 

In multi-dwelling stands such as complexes and estates, we will plan the build to cause as little disruption to the residents and tenants as we can by planning to keep the fibre cables along the boundary walls of the MDU instead of through the centre of a complex.

Reactive maintenance requires the reaction team to be ready for any situation this includes holding material required to rectify the issue. MTD will have every core fibre, every size dome joint, dead ends hooks and poles in stock at all times.

Reactive Maintenance

requires the reaction team to be ready for any situation this includes holding material required to rectify the issue. MTD will have every core fibre, every size dome joint, dead ends hooks and poles in stock at all times.