HFCL Launches Revolutionary Intermittently Bonded Ribbon (IBR) Fibre Cables to Supercharge UK’s Fibre Build Plans

• IBR cables are next-gen optical fibre cables that fit in smaller ducts than a flat ribbon cable and offer high fibre density with a capacity of up to 864 counts of optical fibre
• IBR cable is ideal for use in microducts, especially useful in crowded urban areas in the UK market
• Its high productivity mass fusion splicing feature also enables faster installation, as well as quick restoration in case of an accidental outage

LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#5G–HFCL Limited (HFCL), a leading technology enterprise and integrated next-gen communications product and solution provider, today announced the launch of its revolutionary Intermittently Bonded Ribbon (IBR) Cables in the United Kingdom (UK). As a leading supplier in the UK market, this strategic move is in line with HFCL’s global expansion plans and aims to further tap into UK’s urban and rural markets, accelerate 5G and FTTP adoption, and meet the growing bandwidth demands.

The basis of the new cables is individual Intermittently Bonded Ribbons, each made up of 12 optical fibres, which are bonded together at specific intervals along their lengths. Unlike traditional flat ribbons, flexible IBRs can bend and conform to the space available inside a cable. Groups of IBRs can, therefore, be bundled together into cables that provide twice the fibre packing density of traditional cables in the same volume. IBR cables enable installation of higher fibre counts in small diameter ducts, especially useful in congested areas with very limited space. One of the significant features of the new cable family is the high productivity mass fusion splicing that enables both faster installation and quick restoration in case of an accidental outage.

In the UK, both urban and rural communities still face inadequate broadband access despite rapid expansion over the last few years. While some fibre networks have been installed in most cities, most urban households have no access to high-speed broadband, and access to infrastructure is the primary barrier to achieving broadband connectivity in rural markets.

A majority of UK households can order service offering speeds greater than 30 Mbps. However, there remains a substantial gap of 7 million households with no broadband or mobile internet access, according to a report published by the Communications and Digital Committee of UK. Similarly, in its Spring 2023 update, Ofcom reported approximately 68,000 UK premises don’t have an access to a decent broadband service (with speeds below 10Mbps) and almost 435,000 properties can’t access decent broadband through a fixed-line service. The UK Government is actively engaged with private players and the digital services ecosystem and have recently launched a £40 million fund to accelerate 5G innovation and to put all UK households in reach of fibre to the premises (FTTP) by 2033 as part of its Project Gigabit.

Mr. Mahendra Nahata, Managing Director, HFCL said, “HFCL, one of the leading global manufacturers of optical fibre and optical fibre cable, aims to play a crucial role in deploying high-speed internet connectivity to speed up fiberisation across the UK with the launch of its IBR Cables. Our uniquely designed IBR cables are perfectly suitable to meet the goals of the UK Government to put all households in reach of fibre to the premises (FTTP) by 2033 and accelerate 5G expansion.

“We believe that HFCL’s in-house R&D capabilities and expertise in innovating and customizing, high-quality next-gen solutions within a quick turnaround time according to our customer needs, will enable us to emerge as partner of choice. We are committed to expanding our presence in the UK and contribute to its government’s nationwide infrastructure upgrade along with leading enterprises, and telcos. With a solid presence in key global markets such as India, the UK, the US, the Middle East, France, and Germany, we continue on our mission to build a sustainable global digital economy.”

Mr. Harsh Pagay, Executive President, OF & OFC, HFCL added, “We are excited to launch our innovative, next-gen IBR cables in the UK, one of the leading global economies and a priority market for HFCL. With our already established teams, office and warehousing facility in the UK, we are committed to providing superior solutions around customer problems locally. Thus, enhancing connectivity in high density areas and areas with numerous overlapping networks.”

Compared to improvements in previous optical fibre cables, IBR Cables are a revolutionary product that combines small diameters with the high fibre packing densities and supports mass fusion splicing. HFCL’s IBR Cables are currently available with up to 864 fibers, incorporating HFCL’s world-class ITU-T compliant G.657A2/CW 1505 Cat 3 single-mode fibre. The cable’s proprietary low friction jacket enables enhanced jetting performance in 25/20 mini ducts that are common in cramped urban environments. These IBR Cables are also compliant to various global cable performance standards, including the IEC 60794 series and Telcordia GR-20.

About HFCL

HFCL is a leading technology company specialising in creating digital networks for telcos, enterprises and governments. Over the years, HFCL has emerged as a trusted partner offering sustainable high tech solutions with a commitment to provide the latest technology products to its customers. Our strong R&D expertise coupled with our global system integration services and decades of experience in fibre optics enable us to deliver innovative digital network solutions required for the most advanced networks.

The Company’s in-house R&D Centres located at Gurugram & Bengaluru along with invested R&D Houses and other R&D collaborators at different locations in India and abroad, innovate a futuristic range of technology products and solutions. HFCL has developed capabilities to provide premium quality Optical Fibre and Optical Fibre Cables, state-of-the-art telecom products including 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) products, 5G Transport Products, WiFi Systems (WiFi 6, WiFi 7), Unlicensed Band Radios, Switches, Routers and Software Defined Radios.

The Company has state-of-the-art Optical Fibre and Optical Fibre Cable manufacturing plants at Hyderabad, Optical Fibre Cable manufacturing plant in Goa and in its subsidiary HTL Limited at Chennai.

We are a partner of choice for our customers across India, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa and USA. Our commitment to quality and environmental sustainability inspires us to innovate solutions for the ever-evolving customer needs.

Visit www.hfcl.com for more information. Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hfcl-limited/

Contacts

For further, details please contact:

HFCL Limited
Alok Chander | Manan Sharma

alok.chander@hfcl.com
manan.sharma@hfcl.com
Phone: +91 124 6139104

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