Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGDFraunhofer IGD has developed a software solution that further automates the planning process for the roll-out of fiber-optic broadband. Fibre3D enables Deutsche Telekom to submit applications to local government agencies without the need for costly and time-consuming site visits. This accelerates the approval process, ensuring there are no delays to the expansion of Germany’s fiber-optic infrastructure. The software has now successfully completed a trial under real-world conditions.
Laying the very slender fiber-optic cables is one of the final steps in the complex process of expanding Germany’s fiber infrastructure. It is preceded by significant planning effort and the submission of applications to local government agencies. Deutsche Telekom assists its staff by providing digital cartographic material. However, until now a small but key task could not be performed from an employee’s desktop. For example, positioning the outdoor cabinets from where the fiber cables are routed from the network trunk line to individual households requires time-consuming on-site inspection.
Virtual 3D planning of distribution cabinet locations
The Fibre3D software package developed by Fraunhofer IGD allows planners to enter a 3D world and position the cabinets in a virtual space. Measurement functions and accurately scaled projections enable rapid verification of possible sites—even in challenging environments—while considering all possible factors, such as the prescribed available width of the sidewalk. Once digital planning is complete, it is possible to generate user-friendly photomontages suitable for submission with applications to government agencies. These realistic depictions also help the agency to complete the approval process.
A significant reduction in time needed for planning
An initial version of Fibre3D was deployed by Deutsche Telekom in four planning units in 2019. “In one case, a colleague was able to prepare 27 sites on just a single day and immediately submit applications to the local government agency—and it was digital from end to end,” states Marius Kraus, Fibre3D Product Owner at Deutsche Telekom Technik GmbH. This would not have been possible if the company had been required to make on-site visits, take actual photos, and only afterward submit the application. “With the conventional process, our staff spent a lot of time on the road. Now, if one of the local agencies requests changes, these too can be completed far more quickly.”
Continuous improvement of the software
The software is gradually being rolled out to more and more regions. The first real-world trials of the tool identified additional requirements. For example, it is now possible to select the corresponding distribution cabinet sizes from an overview in the 3D view. “Feedback from the planners is exceptionally valuable, and we incorporate it into our further development and debugging work,” states Pascal Bormann, a developer at Fraunhofer IGD. But it is not the only aspect of the project keeping his team busy: “Optical fiber is being introduced into ever-larger areas, presenting us with the technical challenge of processing ever-greater volumes of data.” In the future, it is possible Fibre3D will be applied to other fiber-optic planning tasks. Currently, the developers at Fraunhofer IGD are seeking to visualize the network trunk line. As a result, planners would not only see the position of the distribution cabinets, but also the trench for the cabling between them and the trunk line.