Surf Telecoms to upgrade south west telecoms infrastructure

05/12/2011

UK-based telecommunications provider Surf Telecoms is set to upgrade infrastructure across the south west of England and Wales, as well as committing to further improvements across the Midlands.

The new network will be based on infrastructure supplier Transmode's TM-Series Intelligent WDM platform, enabling improved capacity and extended reach to boost business supply.

Included in the network design will be provision for a multi service access solution that combines E1 and gigabit Ethernet enterprise services within the same infrastructure, helping to secure a core network that Surf is confident will be up to the requirements of future IP services.

Central to the new network will be 40 channel rings across South Wales and the Midlands, with over 650 km set to be added to existing infrastructure as part of the two-phase project.

Surf Telecoms design and policy manager Richard Doble described the project as an effort to "future-proof" infrastructure so that it is capable of being adapted to meet customer's needs, in addition to offering new services and increasing bandwidth.

"The network will enable Surf Telecoms to provide highly flexible Ethernet and wavelength services to customers across the South West, South Wales, the Midlands and up to Lincolnshire. Our cooperation with Transmode assures the future delivery of communications for ourselves and our customers," Mr Doble explained.

This investment will complement plans laid out by chancellor George Osborne in his Autumn Statement, in which he committed a further £100 million in superfast broadband infrastructure.

The money will be used to help create ten super-connected cities across the UK, providing 80-100Mbps broadband and high-speed mobile connectivity. Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff and London will be the first cities to benefit from the funding, with a further six cities yet to be decided upon.

Chancellor Osborne's plans are outlined in the government's National Infrastructure Plan, which also includes provisions for the rest of the UK's broadband needs, encompassing a new strategy for coordinating public and private investment.

Posted by Nicola Richards