8 May 2024: Netceed is now integrating the Microfocus PatchRobot into outdoor cabinets in addition to its already established Point of Presence (PoP) applications. Through this innovation, the world's leading partner and one-stop shop for all active and passive materials is continuing to expand its technological leadership in the automation field. Following this pursuit, the new Microfocus PatchRobot for outdoor cabinets will join the ranks of the already established Microfocus PatchRobot in the PoP and the Microfocus PatchRobot in the NVt (network distributor), thus advancing automated processes at the switching points in fiber optic expansion. With a focus on sustainability in network operation, a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) and the provision of automated resources, Netceed is creating the ideal conditions for an investment- and therefore future-proof broadband expansion.
Last year, the technology of a patch robot for use in central nodes of a fiber optic network (PoP) was displayed at ANGA COM. In February 2024, the patch robot in the NVt was presented for the first time. Controlled centrally, it establishes connections by connecting ports within an ODF (Optical Distribution Frame).
How it works in the outdoor cabinet
The Microfocus PatchRobot in the outdoor cabinet moves on two axes in front of a patch panel to establish connections. This is where bidirectional OTDR (Optical Time Domain Reflectometer) measurements are used. Remotely controlled, the robot cleans the connector surface, patches and connects various connections and automatically checks whether the patching was successful. "This allows us to provide resources that enable new customers to be connected more quickly and existing customers to be relocated without additional personnel costs," says Dion Bonné, Product Technology Europe at Netceed.
Automation makes remote maintenance possible, eliminating the need for highly qualified technicians to travel to the site. This counteracts the prevailing shortage of skilled installers in the industry by allowing labor to be deployed more efficiently. At the same time, Microfocus PatchRobots speed up the fiber optic roll-out processes and help network operators to achieve their ESG (Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance) goals by significantly reducing the number of trips originally required to the PoP, outdoor cabinet or NVt and the associated CO2 emissions.
Flexible and time-efficient
With its ability to be integrated into outdoor cabinets, the patch robot can be used flexibly in various scenarios involving point-to-point fiber optic networks, in which the patching of customer connections is carried out not only at the PoP but also deeper in the network. According to Netceed, the use of the Microfocus PatchRobot can be fully amortized from 1,000 subscriber connections per NVt and offers time reductions of more than 50 percent in comparison to manually patched connections. A higher savings potential can be expected with frequent adjustments to subscriber connections.
"The use of a patch robot in fiber optic networks will not replace fiber optic technicians," explains Dion Bonné. "However, it does help to organize processes more intelligently and deploy well-trained personnel more efficiently. The solution therefore makes an effective contribution to reducing the total cost of ownership of the fiber optic network, particularly during the construction phase. We are currently working closely with selected customers to integrate the Microfocus PatchRobot into outdoor cabinets in order to increase the efficiency of their network design and its operation whilst also maintaining maximum flexibility."
About Netceed:
Netceed is a global leader in distribution, logistics, technical engineering, and product design with over 30 years of expertise and performance supporting the telecommunications and broadband industry. Netceed supplies and distributes a comprehensive range of passive and active equipment and tooling for network deployment, upgrades, and maintenance, supporting all technologies including FTTH, FTTx, HFC, Wi-Fi, 5G/mobile, and data center. Netceed’s comprehensive portfolio of 90,000+ products from nearly 1,500 industry-leading suppliers, along with their value-added supply chain solutions support carriers’ seamless delivery of high-speed Internet, Video, Data, and Voice services to Residential, Business, and Mobile Users. Netceed employs over 2,000 people across 19 countries and counting, and its experienced team works hard every day shaping the future of communication networks across the globe.
For more information, visit www.netceed.com.
Press contact Netceed:
Stefanie Moormann, Marketing Director DACH, Tel: +49 2351 6563 700,
press.eu@netceed.com
Thomas Verheyen, Head of Marketing Europe, Tel: +32 3 202 6 50,
press.eu@netceed.com
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