Our Process of Installation
Trenching & laying ducts for Fibre Installation
- All way leaves are obtained from Johannesburg Roads Authority before digging commences.
- This work is undertaken in accordance with the Communications Act (2005) which allows
telecoms companies to dig up pavements to lay necessary infrastructure.
- A photo is taken of each home before and after the trenching- while every effort is
made to reinstate the grass, paving and plants to the same standard as before,
this is not always possible. As the pavements is council land, we do not have a
legal obligation to reinstate it but do our best to keep you, the resident happy.
- We particularly draw your attention to those with ivy on the pavements. Ivy has been
declared an invasive species in South Africa and it is not possible to purchase fully
grown ivy plants.
- it is inevitable that water pipes, electricity lines, sprinklers and intercom cable will
be hit. This is in part because no accurate maps of these services are available. All
damages will be repaired
Importance
While at times it can be painful to have this infrastructure installed, the end result will be
access to lightning fast Internet. No resident is under any obligation to take out the service
or sign up to MTN but we do hope that you will enjoy benefitting from fibre in the longer term.
MTN's Fibre To The Home will mean access to service such as Netflix, meaning you can stream
movies to you home in real time, an offer Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) meaning you no
longer need a landline.
It is the nest generation in technology and it will be only available in certain suburbs in
South Africa
Preparing for outside plant installations
Outside plant (OSP) installations of fiber optic cables can be much more diverse than premises
installations. OSP installs may include installing aerial cable, direct—buried cable,
underground cable in conduit or installing conduit or innerduct and then pulling cable, or
placing cable underwater. A single link may include several types of installation, for example
aerial in one section, pulling in conduit on a bridge crossing and burying the rest of the
cable.
Splicing
Outside plant splicing is usually done in a special splicing trailer or truck. Inside the truck
is a climate-controlled splicing lab with adequate bench space for working with the cables and
splice closures. Sometimes, it’s necessary to splice in the open, in a small tent or even in an
aerial bucket. The installer has to be able to cope with the conditions found in the
installation. In extremely cold conditions, a heated facility will probably be necessary as
cables become stiffand equipment hard to operate. Hot climates may be easier on the processes
but are equally uncomfortable for the installer.
OTDR Testing
The optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) uses optical radar-like techniques to create a
picture of a fiber in an installed fiber optic cable. The picture, called a signature or trace,
contains data on the length of the fiber, loss in fiber segments, connectors, splices and loss
caused by stress during installation. OTDRs are used to verify the quality of the installation
or for troubleshooting. However, OTDR testing alone shall not be used to determine cable loss.
OTDR testing should only performed by trained personnel, using certified equipment designed for
the purpose. The technicians performing the tests should be trained not only in operation of
the OTDR equipment, but also in the setup of OTDR test parameters and the interpretation of
OTDR traces. OTDRs have limited distance resolution and may show confusing artifacts when
testing short cables typical of premises applications. If OTDR testing of premises cables is
desired, experienced personnel should evaluate the appropriateness of the tests.
