Nokia launches automation service designed to streamline fibre hook ups

Cost-effectively connecting fibre subscribers is a challenge, according to Nokia, with over 30% of home connections not executed to plan due to manual procedures, inaccurate data, and tight schedules, leading to ‘multiple truck rolls’. This inflates costs and prolongs connection times, so goes the preamble for Nokia’s pitch to solve this apparent inefficiency.

Broadband Easy Connect gives operators, their subcontractors, and retailers access to a cloud-based platform that automates the process of connecting customers to the fibre network, we’re told. It has workflow tools that can be tailored and integrated into operator’s IT environments, and can automate processes related to scheduling customer visits, dispatching engineers, and verifying field operations.

It also gives field engineers access to a number of productivity tools such as ONT Easy Start and Optical Link Certifier, which provide automated service activation and end-to-end line testing. The cloud platform also allows field engineers to use AI computer vision models to validate port assignment and make sure passive components are installed properly.

“With Broadband Easy Connect, we make it simple, fast and cost-effective for operators to set up home fibre installations,” said Sandra Motley, President of Fixed Networks at Nokia. “This means happier customers and a growing fibre business. Operators can get it right the first time 95% of the time and cut repeat visits in half, speeding up fibre deployment by 20%.”

Piotr Wieczokiewicz, COO of Nexera, is also quoted in the release saying: “Nokia has been a trusted service partner for many years, providing services and platforms that allow us to meet our challenging targets to build the fibre infrastructure and connect end-users first time right, in time and in budget.”

Essentially, all this automation is supposed to reduce the time spent on each home connection, thus saving costs. It might not be the most bombastic use case of AI we’ve had waved in front of us in recent years, but you can see there being demand for any practical applications that saves money for firms engaged in the costly process of deploying telecoms infrastructure.