Warren & Brown builds pilot FTTH network in Vietnam

Warren & Brown Technologies has played a key role in Vietnam’s fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) trial project. The company provided initial consultation services, including network planning and design, detailed engineering and installation as well as training and product supply for the project.

W&BT provided a customised solution to Vietnam Telecom (Viettel) and also took total responsibility for the project. The project started to take shape in May 2013 when a contingent of Viettel executives visited Australia and, hosted by Warren & Brown Technologies, met with management teams from NBN Co and Telstra. The Viettel team immediately recognised the value of the Australian NBN and entered into negotiations with W&BT to develop a trial network.

W&BT and Viettel then entered into an agreement for the consultation service to roll out the proposed FTTH network in April 2014 starting with W&BT working with Viettel in the design of the optical distribution network (ODN) and in establishing which PON architecture would be best suited to urban and rural areas.

Later in May 2014, W&BT was awarded the consultancy work to prepare the design and construction guidelines for the ODN for the first pilot site that would cover 600 homes.

The project focused on rural medium-density applications and is part of the initial FTTH rollout in Danang City in Central Vietnam. The project had been delivered on behalf of Viettel to serve 600 households in the area, offering both IP and RF TV connectivity.

The IP connectivity includes internet, IP telephony and IP TV for customers wanting to connect broadband internet and digital TV. In addition, analog RF TV will be offered for customers requiring only RF cable TV connectivity.

W&BT also provided detailed theory and practical training in all aspects of fibre-optic cable technology fundamentals, cable installation, termination and testing procedures for FTTH PON networks to all Viettel technical personnel throughout all of the Vietnam provinces.

According to Warren & Brown’s managing director, Neil Domelow, the experience and expertise gained from the company’s previous involvements in the Australian NBN as well as projects in Holland and the Philippines was important in showcasing the company’s capabilities.

We were able to draw on our knowledge gained from our internationally experienced group of engineers to come up with a system tailored for the conditions - which performed as soon as the switch was flicked, said Domelow.

Warren & Brown introduced to this project the use of spider web ribbon fibre, which was one of the key products offered along with various W&BT indoor and outdoor optical fibre termination products.