Super-Fast Broadband Via the Sewer System
Bournemouth, UK, is often mocked by many of the British for the average age of its citizens. In short, a seaside resort where many go to die. Jack Dee once quipped that the shop windows are all fitted with bi-focals to allow passers-by to ascertain what lies within.
But the citizens, it seems, are having the last laugh as it has been reported this week that the town is to be the first in the UK to make use of the sewer system in a whole new way.
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Rather than rely on the rather un-environmentally friendly process of digging up swathes of countryside and road to lay cables, H2O Networks Ltd have been called in for the gig.
As is so often the case, simple ideas seem to have manifest benefits and using sewer systems to lay fibre optic cables is a case in point.
As already stated, there is no need to dig up roads.
Conventional cables are normally laid a mere 45 cm below ground. Utilising the sewer systems means that the cables lie a full 10 metres below ground, decreasing the likelihood of damage and increasing security in potentially dangerous situations.
And of course, with no digging needed, with the sewers already in place, getting the fibre optics laid can be achieved far more quickly.
So, as many Britons languish behind with slow internet access, Bournemouth is casually reinventing itself as a rather fast, happening town, and in the not-too-distant future, will enjoy internet speeds approaching 100Mbps.
The UK has 360,000 miles worth of sewers. As Elfed Thomas, CEO of H2O Networks says:
“This is just the start of bringing next generation connectivity to the UK.”
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Photo of Victorian sewer courtesy of Flickr
I like the way they made Jack Dee’s joke a little more up market, like the people that read this web site wont understand it
In Bournemouth the shop windows are all fitted with bi-focals so everyone who walks past can see the stuff inside
I do appreciate the fact that the streets do not have to be torn up to achieve their outcome.
I live in New York, New York WHERE THEY NEVER STOP DIGGING and tearing up the streets.
Hasn’t this been done in Paris for years now? I’m pretty sure I saw it on “Megacities - Paris” on NGC.
uhm.. wasn’t this an april fools joke by google?
http://www.google.com/tisp/
Yay. I live in B’mouth (and no, I’m not 80+)
Very good idea.
I ask you to help me to contact to firm H2O. Installation an optical cable in the water drain interestingly for us.
Possible problems:-
Isn’t this going to impede sewer flow, reducing flow rate? Yes I now the sewers are big, but they surely need to be smooth too, to avoid gunk building up.
What about chemical and bio attack (bacterial, rats, …) of the cables from the sewer contents?
Surely it will be a hindrance when drains are needed to be cleared - the cleaning rods -or whatever gets used on big sewers - will snag the cables.
This sound like a project to leave as soon as it is implemented, as the maintenance will not be pleasant.
Bournemouth sadly doesn’t get to lay claim to being the first ‘UK’ to utilise the sewer network to run fibre optic cable, it’s also old news in London as can be seen in this pic on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/jondoe_264/1235440615/
Still a cool story though, says the man who explores sewers.
*** Rats can chew through copper wire ***
They are laying fibre optic actually.