As the first neutral provider to come to densely populated areas, CityFast is turning the telecoms market on its head.
The shared
infrastructure model has shown its worth in rural areas. This longstanding model, with proven success in
public initiative networks (réseaux
d’initiative publique), is now being rolled out in large cities thanks to CityFast.
CityFast is a neutral network access services provider that focuses on
densely populated areas (Zones Très
Denses or ZTD in French). It was specially created as part of the
acquisition of Bouygues Telecom’s fibre infrastructure by Axione in 2018, and
two investment bodies managed by Vauban Infrastructure Partners (CIF II and QUIMPER COINVEST SCA).
The CityFast network opens up a world of possibilities by allowing companies and
individuals to choose their provider from Axione’s 150 partner
providers. It also stimulates innovation on the telecoms market thanks to
digital content and service providers who can readjust their service offerings
in order to set themselves apart and face the competition.
Entirely
unprecedented in France, a new commercial offering will be gradually made
available on the CityFast network in line with the rollout
schedule. For private individuals, CityFast will allow access to
alternative providers. For businesses, it will provide a disruptive, innovative
model, combining the quality of service of dedicated fibre with the flexibility
and cost control of a shared fibre network.
Key Figures CityFast will cover 92 of the 106 communes located within the ZTD, representing 3.4 million connections.Throughout 2020, the progressive commercial launch will cover sixty communes, representing over two million connections. Paris will be the first major beneficiary from January, followed by Marseille, Lyon, and others. In 2021, the 32 remaining communes will also be able to benefit from the offering.
in the press !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjsoReB3z6g
About CityFast
CityFast is a simplified joint-stock company that was specially created as part of the acquisition of Bouygues Telecom’s fibre infrastructure in 2018. Its shareholders include Axione and two investment bodies managed by Vauban Infrastructure Partners (CIF II and QUIMPER COINVEST SCA).
About Axione
Axione is owned by Bouygues Energies & Services and Vauban
Infrastructure Partners and is a major player in the rollout of digital
technology in both rural and urban areas. As a partner in the French Ultra-High
Speed Broadband Plan, Axione designs, builds, finances, and operates new
generation digital services (FTTH, 4G, etc.) on its own behalf and for regional
authorities and service providers. As a medium for competitive intensity and
diversity of offerings, Axione operates in all French regions (highly populated
areas [ZTD], and moderately populated areas [ZMD]) and provides telecom
operators Ultra-High Speed access services for their subscribers by pooling its
digital infrastructure, which is open and accessible to all. Almost 150
providers use the networks operated by Axione.
About Vauban Infrastructure Partners
Vauban Infrastructure Partners is a leading investor in Public-Private Partnerships and concessions in all forms throughout Europe. It has proven experience in both greenfield projects and asset management. Vauban Infrastructure Partners has over €2.5 billion euros under its management, and has already invested in more than 50 infrastructure projects in a wide variety of sectors.
Axione designs and deploys telecommunication structures: FTTH networks, or in other words, fibre optics. Geographical information is useful throughout all the phases of a project, from tendering to operating a network. Currently, the company operates 24 networks and delivers a fibre optic connection to 6,500 towns/villages totalling 13 million residents.
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The first, and without doubt one of the most important stages in the creation of an FTTH network, takes place at the head office of Malakoff. Taking into consideration public market specifications, the pre-sales team puts together Axione’s proposal. GIS is used to retrieve data and to model the network to be constructed. A quantitative model is created based on the network’s layout in order to cost the project. This preliminary deliverable allows company tenders to be queried and prioritised. The term “decision mapping” is in vogue as it helps to better understand the design challenges and to respond more precisely to the invitation to tender.
2 / PROJECT PREPARATION
Once the contract has been awarded to us, the construction design office works on the compiling of studies such as the Summary Pre-Project, which specifies the routing of cables and telecommunication boxes to be used. Thanks to data retrieved from operators, the Detailed Pre-Project serves to compile the construction documentation that will be entrusted to the team who are going to construct the network.
3 / MOVING FORWARDS TOGETHER
Teams working on the same project meet on a regular basis. Axione has design offices in Châtillon and Lille. With extensive deployment of fibre optics, they are presently working on some fifteen projects at the same time.
4 / CREATING AND MAINTAINING ESSENTIAL TOOLS
Network design is not only
done in the office!
It is crucial to get out
into the field and to proceed to do field studies. You must verify on site that
it is indeed possible to construct the modelled layouts. Axione’s Method, Data
& Tools division has created a software designed for tablets. The division
also sets up and maintains the pool of tablets.
5 / ENSURING RELIABILITY WITH FIELD SURVEYS
The field teams carry out a letterbox census: they verify each address that will be connected. They qualify all the storage and cable routes, along with equipment. For example, they do an inventory of existing electric poles and cables in order to perform electrical load calculations. This enables checking as to whether optic fibre can be added to the present layout and passed “overhead”. They also carry out a study of telecommunication chambers by locating existing cables. This serves to choose the ducting through which Axione’s fibre optic cables are going to pass. The company will then lease this equipment to operators. Geolocalised data collection thus serves to validate the technical choices with regard to deployment and to complete the costing.
6 / INTEGRATING DATA INTO THE INFORMATION SYSTEM
Throughout the year, the Method, Data & Tools division develops IT business solutions for the different entities of Axione. Everyone, from the design offices to the field operators, uses the organisational tools that ensure coherent processes and procedures. The data produced during the construction of the network is collected.
7 / OPERATING THE NETWORK
Once constructed, the FTTH network is often operated as a Public Service Delegation, which means that Axione administrates it on behalf of all the operators. Its supervision centre is located in Pau. GIS ensures that the data actually conforms to the project. It now serves for reporting and management of anomalies A web portal also enables verification of eligibility for fibre optics.
8 / MONITORING OF DEPLOYMENT
Fibre optics is under continual development. The team that pilots the deployment of fibre optics often conducts meetings to monitor progress. A colour code is used to show the situation on a map. In the future, GIS will be able to programme the extension or densification of networks
A major player in the field of connectivity for buildings and regions, notably by providing indoor mobile coverage infrastructure, Axione provides support and guidance for operators preparing for the arrival of 5G.
Don’t wait around for 5G to be deployed to set up your in-building telecoms infrastructure: start integrating 5G compatibility as soon as you get the bill of specifications!
Planning out the communications infrastructure during the building design process is an essential condition for optimizing connectivity levels given developments in potential usages and new architectural standards. This is a message that Axione has been preaching for several years, and “the market has really taken it on board,” observes Fabien Gevaert, Director of Marketing and Regulatory Affairs at Axione. Now, every operator in the market is turning its focus to the arrival of 5G.
“Builders and lessors are asking themselves a lot of questions, and rightly so. Our response is clear: don’t wait for 5G to be deployed to start planning your infrastructure. Evolving, intra-building technologies already exist and enable us to provide ultra high speed internet in order to meet customer needs. However, it’s essential to get ahead of the game by integrating compatibility as soon as the bill of specifications is drawn up.”
The impact of 5G and fibre optic on building telecom infrastructures, as well as on their associated business models, requires an insightful response, which Axione has chosen to cover in detail alongside experts from the construction ecosystem during its conference at the CBT Forum, which will be held on 11th December 2019 from 3:30pm to 4:30pm. This meeting will also provide an opportunity to expand the debate by exploring other approaches such as “BTS Hotels” or the neutral operator model for mobile networks present in other countries.
“In particular, these solutions will enable us to significantly optimise energy consumption and the costs of network interconnections, so they deserve to be studied,” stresses Fabien Gevaert.
Fabien Gevaert
Watch this space!
Source: Catalogue of the Connected Buildings and Regions Forum, as part of the SIMI (professional real estate convention), 11th-13th December 2019, Paris, Palais des Congrès.
