Ask4 finds secure and environmentally friendly cabling network down in the sewers

St Asaph, UK, April 2007: When Internet Service Provider (ISP), Ask 4, was looking for a secure, resilient and environmentally friendly way to implement a new communications cabling infrastructure in order to cope with its customers’ ever increasing demands, it chose to work with H2O Networks and utilise the local sewer network.

H2O Networks’ revolutionary Focus (Fibre Optical Cable Underground Sewer) System allows organisations to use the UK’s sewer system to set up their own secure IT and telecom networks with unlimited bandwidth.

Jonathan Hudson, managing director, Ask 4 comments: “With increasing business and consumer demand for up to the minute methods of communication and with increased understanding of convergence and its benefits, organisations are increasingly demanding greater bandwidth. We knew that fibre optic cabling would provide this bandwidth, but wanted a cost-effective way of doing this.”

The cost advantages of H2O’s network means that not only is it cheaper to install, but it offers a fixed term cost rather than bandwidth tariffs. The bandwidth is hugely scalable and so will cope with the evolution of technology and the capacity this will eat up for the foreseeable future. The deployment process is a least 80 per cent faster than traditional methods, resulting in operational networks within weeks rather than months. Every city and town has ready-made ducts that can be used without causing disruption.

An additional advantage is that the cables lie at depths of up to 5m below the ground, compared with 450mm for conventional cables, making it far more secure, particularly in disaster recovery situations.

Elfed Thomas, managing director, H2O Networks comments: “Our Focus system offers both public and private sector organisations a cost-effective alternative to the traditional method of deploying fibre cable. It offers a fixed term cost rather than bandwidth tariffs, so that when extra capacity is needed, it’s there, and the business doesn’t incur further connection charges.”

The H2O Networks system eliminates the additional connection and fibre charges cable and telecom companies make when extra bandwidth capacity is taken on. Our cable has no restriction on bandwidth with the customer firmly in control and the ability to upgrade at any time.”

H2O’s business proposition is attracting much praise and interest from the UK’s water boards including Yorkshire Water, which is just one of the water boards signed up to the scheme.

For further information please contact:
Rebecca Dean
Insight Marketing
01625 506416
rdean@insightmkt.com

About H2O Networks
Formed in 2002, H2O Networks is a pioneer of deploying dark fibre in the UK’s waste water network to enable connectivity to those that have limited access.

The Focus (Fibre Optical Cable Underground Sewer) System from H2O Networks is a fast and cost-effective way to lay cable and link up any location without the high costs and disruption caused by traditional cabling methods.
For further information please visit: www.focuss.net