Nokia launches FTTH digital twin, AI tools to boost network reliability

Giving network owners the capabilities to detect disruptions earlier and resolve incidents quicker on the first attempt is now business critical given the increasing complexity of infrastructures. To address these aims, Nokia has introduced software tools and AI-models that the company claims will “significantly” improve operational efficiencies and enhance network reliability.

Nokia said that operators deploying fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) networks face limited visibility into the passive outside plant, resulting in inventory errors, costly repeat truck rolls, cost overruns and service delays. With better visibility to the outside plant, it added, operators can fix problems faster, expand networks efficiently and deliver more reliable broadband.

The new digital features, part of Nokia’s Altiplano platform, are designed to enable operators to create what is described as a “comprehensive” digital twin of their fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network and establish a single unified view of active and passive components. The company said this will help reduce operational cost and improve FTTH reliability.

Altiplano uses automation tools to streamline processes and continuously validate inventory, topology and resource data. The Altiplano Marketplace also offers access to Nokia’s new fibre health analyser and subscriber line identifier application, allowing network managers to monitor the health of fibre links, audit the imported topology, isolate fibre faults, proactively detect issues, perform root cause analysis and improve service quality.

With a new Subscriber Line Identify application, Nokia assured that splitter connectivity can be verified with “minimal” disruption or update inventory in real time to accurately reflect network realities. Digital twin capabilities are compatible with diverse inventory and geospatial software solutions, work effectively in greenfield or brownfield deployments, and come pre-integrated with the Nokia Broadband Easy digital platform for automated fibre rollout and operations.

“Digital twins and AI tools will play an important role in autonomous networks. By unifying active and passive components in a single view, operators can minimise disruptions, resolve issues swiftly and deliver reliable, cost-effective broadband that sets a new connectivity standard,” said Jaimie Lenderman, principal analyst at research firm Omdia.

Geert Heyninck, general manager of broadband networks at Nokia, added: “We can help operators eliminate the blind spots associated with FTTH deployments by removing the need to look at the active and passive network independently. Our software tools and digital platforms provide a unified view of the network, allowing operators to detect issues faster and resolve them before they escalate. This results in significant operational advantages, cutting costs and improving both the reliability and accuracy of network builds.”

One early user of the new technology has been South African comms provider fibertime, which is expanding its fibre broadband access footprint to include an additional 400,000 homes located across South Africa’s underserved communities. The broadband roll-out is part of the operator’s larger goal of connecting two million homes by 2028.

The company is deploying a combination of Nokia’s IP and fibre access technologies to build semi-mobile networks in underserved areas, providing end-users with what is claimed to be “unlimited” high-speed internet from anywhere in their home, business or community.

“Nokia’s automation and AI-powered tools not only help us to improve operational efficiencies but also enhance the reliability of our FTTH network,” said fibertime CEO Danvig De Bruyn. “We can now detect disruptions earlier and resolve incidents more quickly to ultimately improve the subscriber experience.”