The technology to deliver networks further, faster.

The pressure is mounting to speed up the delivery of the UK’s fibre broadband network. Coronavirus has radically changed the way we live, work and communicate, with millions of us now spending up to 25% of our waking time online and millions more using some online services for the first time. It’s no great surprise that the surge in daytime data consumption since April has hit copper network speeds hard. And with Ofcom reporting internet usage has now hit record levels, the roll-out of full fibre has become even more critical.

At Complete Utilities we’re always looking to find innovative ways to install networks more efficiently and safely. Through smarter planning, the latest technology and our experienced, multi-skilled teams, we’re already connecting customers 30% faster than our competitors. But we’re not stopping there.

Reaching the parts others can’t reach

We let nothing stand in the way of our clients’ networks and we’re committed to continuing to invest in the latest technology to achieve our goals. From our narrow trencher (especially made for us by Italian machinery pioneer Tesmec) to our skid steer bobcat with rock wheel, (which cuts the time to dig a trench across a main road from 4hrs to 20 minutes); to our Horizonal Directional Drilling (HDD) rig, which is delivering networks where other providers have historically walked away.

Horizontal directional drilling (HDD), is a proven minimal impact trenchless method of installing underground utilities such as pipe. The process is suitable for a variety of soil conditions including clay, silt, sand, and rock and it’s used globally for crossing waterways, roadways, shore approaches, congested areas, environmentally sensitive areas. It also enables providers to reach locations where other methods are costlier or not possible at all.

As part of our £90m contract with leading rural ultrafast broadband provider, Gigaclear, we’re delivering fibre to villages throughout Gloucestershire and beyond. Residents of two villages, Longney and Framilode had previously been avoided by broadband providers because of their inaccessibility. Our solution involved drilling below the River Severn using our HDD rig and laying Gigaclear’s fibre cable from Elmore Back through to Minsterworth.

Planning the project took 18 months and several engineering options were discounted during this time. The River Severn has the second highest tidal range in the world, and a conventional dig through a river is impossible. There were many other considerations including locating a site large enough to carry out the drilling safely, liaising with local landowners and Crown Estates to gain permission to drill. Locating a suitable area to carry out the drill shot was critical because we had to ensure we had the room to achieve the correct drill depth before we got to the river’s edge. We also needed a safe, suitable area for the drill head to exit that wouldn’t disrupt the local community.

Once we’d negotiated the use of two suitable sites we then completed two boreholes to a depth of 16 meters on either side of the river. The borehole results identified the ground conditions as medium to soft clay, with some areas very low strength, so we adjusted the exact drill shot location accordingly. Next we carried out a topographical survey of the drill line to confirm the river bed depths. This gave us the information to design the depth requirements for every linear meter as we drilled.

The total drill length was 6.5km, with the section from Longney to Minsterworth a total of 181 linear meters (spanned using 60 x 3m rods) at 5 metres below the River Severn to avoid disturbing the riverbed. During the drilling we utilised our DigiTrak F5 tracking unit to connect with the long-range F5-18 transmitter/Sonde inside the drill head. This enabled us to precision-track the drill head to a depth of 25 meters and also the capability to project a signal up to 25 meters ahead of the drill line to keep the drill on course.

With the drilling complete we then installed an 125mm MDPE duct, utilising our specially imported Vermeer horizontal drill with 133kn pullback force. Following the successful installation of the 125mm duct we installed a multi-fibre duct inside linking the new fibre line.

If you stand still you go backwards

The pace of innovation in our industry is breath taking. At Complete Utilities we’re not just keeping up with the latest developments, we’re setting the pace. Scouring the world if necessary for the latest technology to deliver our clients networks more efficiently, connecting customers and turning the tap on much-needed revenue streams.

The 6.5k of cabling we laid from Longney to Minsterworth was to connect 861 homes. But the bigger picture is the knowledge we have gained that we can apply elsewhere. Our technology is enabling us to move faster through communities, leaving less disruption and damage to the environment. Because we own all of own equipment we don’t have to hire it and we don’t have to wait for it to turn up on site. And when you add that to our end to end solutions, which means we never have to rely on third party contractors, it gives us more control to roll out networks, meet works completion dates and move on to connecting the next community.

As our Managing Director Cathal O’Grady says, “Every day we’re demonstrating what’s possible when a can-do attitude is combined with the latest methodologies and technology - and the positive impact that can have on our clients and communities.”

Whether your network is fibre, water, gas or power, let’s share some of the positive impact with you.