Fiberization of Telecom Towers for effective 5G rollout in India

What is fiberisation?

Fiberisation is the process of connecting radio towers with optical fibre cables. It enables the full use of network capacity and the transmission of large amounts of data for 5G services. It also provides more bandwidth and stronger backhaul support, which is the part of the network that connects the core and the edge. Optical fibre cables offer high bandwidth, low latency and high insulation from interference. To ensure better coverage for 5G, more mobile towers and more fibre deployment are needed.

How does fiberization of tower help in 5G deployment?

Fiberization of tower is the process of connecting mobile towers with optical fibre cables. It helps in 5G deployment by:

• Enabling high-speed, low-latency data transmission for 5G applications such as cloud gaming, VR, smart cities, etc.
• Reducing signal loss and interference caused by weather, buildings, or other obstacles.
• Supporting network densification, which means adding more mobile towers and small cells to improve coverage and capacity.
• Enhancing backhaul support, which is the part of the network that connects the core and the edge, where the users are.

Benefits of 5G

• Faster speed: 5G enables mobile phones and other devices to work faster than 4G and 4G LTE.
• Lower latency: 5G reduces the delay in data transmission, which supports new applications such as AI, IoT, and VR efficiently. It allows mobile phone users to browse the web smoothly.
• Greater capacity: 5G can handle up to 100 times more data than 4G. It enables companies to switch between cellular and Wi-Fi networks seamlessly and improve their performance.
• Added bandwidth: 5G increases the amount of data that can be transferred at a time. Mobile phone users can enjoy a faster and more reliable connection with more bandwidth.
• Increasing innovation: 5G connects a wide range of devices, such as drones and sensors that can enhance various industries. It facilitates the adoption of IoT, which can improve productivity and quality.
• Less tower congestion: 4G networks often face traffic issues that affect data access. 5G networks avoid this problem due to better speed and more bandwidth.
• Energy efficiency: 5G consumes less energy than 4G, which lowers the costs for service providers and extends the battery life of mobile devices.
• Social impact: 5G can transform the governance, living standards, and business environment of a country. It can boost growth in sectors such as agriculture, health, education, infrastructure, and logistics.

How does GIS help in fiberization of towers

GIS is a technology that captures, stores, analyzes, and displays spatial data. It helps in planning, designing, and monitoring the fiber network for 5G towers. With GIS, one can:

• Find the best locations and routes for the towers and cables, considering factors such as terrain, population density, demand, cost, etc.
• Calculate the needed length, capacity, and quality of the fiber optic cables, based on the expected data traffic and performance.
• Make and update the digital maps and databases of the fiber network, showing the location, type, height, owner, operator, and status of each tower and cable.
• Show and share the fiber network information with various stakeholders, such as telecom operators, service providers, regulators, customers, etc.
• Track and manage the fiber network performance, maintenance, and security, using real-time data and alerts.

The main components and stages in fiberization of towers are:

• Survey: This involves collecting the spatial and attribute data of the existing and potential towers and cables. This can be done using various methods, such as field survey, remote sensing, GPS, drones, cameras, scanners, etc.
• Design: This involves making the fiber network plan and design, using GIS software and tools. This includes choosing the best locations and routes for the towers and cables, estimating the required length and capacity of the cables, optimizing the network cost and efficiency, etc.
• Implementation: This involves installing and connecting the fiber optic cables to the towers, following the network design. This requires permissions, clearances, and coordination from various authorities and stakeholders. This also involves testing and validating the network functionality and quality.
• Operation: This involves running and maintaining the fiber network, using GIS software and tools. This includes monitoring and managing the network performance, capacity, security, etc., using real-time data and alerts. This also involves updating and modifying the network information as per changes in demand or conditions.

India’s fibre status for 5G tower connectivity

• India needs at least 16 times more fibre to transition into 5G, according to STL, a technology company specialised in optical fibers and cables.
• Currently, only 33% of the towers in India are fiberised, compared to 65%-70% in South Korea and 80%-90% in the U.S., Japan and China.
• India’s fibre kilometer (fkm) per capita, which is a measure of fibre density, is also lower than other key markets. A country needs 1.3 km of fibre per capita for good fiberization. India’s fkm is just .09, while Japan’s is 1.35, U.S.’s is 1.34 and China’s is 1.3.
• Moreover, there is a need to increase data capacity in the fiberised towers. These towers are called fibre point of presence (POP). Currently, these fibre POPs can handle data at one to five Gbps speed.

What are the challenges?

• India needs to invest about ₹2.2 lakh crore to fiberise 70% of its towers and ₹2.5 lakh crore to set up 15 lakh more towers by 2025, as per the National Broadband Mission and COAI.
• Government programmes like BharatNet and Smart Cities also require more fibre deployment, aiming to connect every village with OFC in 1,000 days. This means laying cables at 1,251 km a day, which is 3.6 times faster than the current speed of 350 km a day.
• However, one of the main hurdles for fiberisation is the lack of uniform RoW rules across the country. The DoT issued the RoW rules in 2016 to simplify the process and reduce the cost of OTL establishment. But many States/UTs, districts and local bodies have not adopted these rules and follow their own policies. Other central Ministries also have their own departmental rules that differ from the RoW rules.
• Some pilot projects are being conducted in places like the Delhi airport to test the use of street furniture for small cell and aerial fiber deployment. TRAI has also published a consultation paper on this topic. The outcomes of these projects and consultations will help to shape the regulatory and policy framework for fiberisation.

What are AABSyS’ service offerings to the OFC and Telcos for fiberization of towers

AABSyS is a company that provides GIS and CAD services, including design and drafting of OFC networks and structural analysis of telecom towers. AABSyS can help in the fiberization of towers by:

• Collecting and processing the spatial and attribute data of the existing and potential towers and cables, using various methods such as field survey, remote sensing, GPS, drones, cameras, scanners, etc.
• Creating and updating the digital maps and databases of the fiber network.
• Analyzing and optimizing the fiber network plan and design, using structural analysis software and tools such as MStower, Advance Steel, Staad Pro, ASMTower, etc.
• Visualizing and sharing the fiber network information with various stakeholders, using GIS software and tools.
• Monitoring and managing the fiber network performance, maintenance, and security, using GIS software and tools.

You can learn more about AABSyS and its services by clicking on the following link:

Telecom Industry – Telecommunications Consulting Services & Solutions | AABSYS