Eltel Fixed Communication Business Makes Progress in Fibre Deployment in Norway

HELSINKI, Feb 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Eltel is addressing the growing need for optical fibre deployment in Europe. The company offers a unified process for fibre roll-outs based on 10 years of experience with leading teleoperators in Northern Europe. Already today fibre provides an important share of the company's fixed communication business while over 70% of European households still have no fibre connection. Norway plays an important role in this development.

Demand for fast broadband 

The need for and deployment of optical fibre is strong throughout Europe. During 2016 to 2019 approximately 30 million households in the EU and Norway are planned to be connected to the internet through fibre connections. The technology reports show that fibre is by far the most efficient way for downloading and uploading huge amounts of data. Fibre connections are needed to support 5G technology and new generation of digital services.

Eltel solution – make it easy for the customer

The guiding principle of Eltel is to make it easy for the customer who should not overload themselves with unnecessary concerns of their project implementation. Eltel has developed a unified process for larger Infranet roll-outs, besides the fibre roll-outs also utilized with great success in smart metering. The concept is based on a unified process from planning & design, to roll-out project and finally to services assurance.

For efficient process support Eltel is using the latest IT tools for all the process phases including workforce management. The model is called Eltel Fibre Force. Eltel has joined the industry organisation FTTH Council Europe as the first representative of its Infranet services industry.

Fibre build out to continue several years in Norway

Fibre roll-out has grown rapidly in recent years. The increase in streaming music and film is driving the demand. In the last six months of 2016, the number of fibre subscribers increased by over 100,000. However, more than half of the population still lacks access to fibre broadband, and it will take at least five years before the government target is achieved. This is expected to result in investment boom in the Norwegian telecom market throughout 2017 and 2018.

Telenor that is Eltel's largest partner for deployment of fibre in Norway invests over four billion Norwegian crowns (over 400 million euro) in infrastructure and services in Norway. Telenor works continuously with long-term improvement, simplification and modernization process and services to maintain their competitiveness, and seeks innovative partners who represent a best practice within the industry in Norway and internationally. Telenor agreed 2014 a five-year frame contract with Eltel for 2015 to 2019 to produce an agreed yearly volume of Care, Connect and Build Services in defined geographic areas. Eltel is working together with Telenor to optimize the value creation in those value chains, and specially reduce costs and lead times for fibre production.

Eltel Fibre Force units ensure more efficient implementation

Eltel Norway has established a separate unit for fibre networks - Fibre Force - to effectively build fibre for operators and service providers. The specialized unit can supply the entire value chain in the development phase and the subsequent production phase: planning, implementation, operation and maintenance. In 2016 the Fibre Force Unit delivered more than 40,000 installations to its customers in Norway.

Through getting increased responsibility for major development areas, and through bundled building orders for planning, design and implementation, Eltel can through its Fibre Force unit exploit its Norwegian resource pool more efficiently, and move production resources to where they are most needed. This applies to both excavation, technical installations and delivery to end-customers. The goal for Eltel in 2017 is to continue the current high level of installations for Telenor through this proactive building method.

For further information:

Hannu Tynkkynen
Director – External Communications and Sustainability
Tel: +358 40-311-4503,
E-mail: hannu.tynkkynen@eltelnetworks.com

About Eltel

Eltel is a leading European provider of technical services for critical infrastructure networks – Infranets – in the segments of Power, Communication and Transport & Security, with operations throughout the Nordic and Baltic regions, Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom and Africa. Eltel provides a broad and integrated range of services, spanning from maintenance and upgrade services to project deliveries. Eltel has a diverse contract portfolio and a loyal and growing customer base of large network owners. In 2015 Eltel net sales amounted to EUR 1,255 million. The current number of employees is approximately 9,600. Since February 2015, Eltel AB is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.

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