Xantaro has been selected by Freedom Fibre to deliver an integrated, end-to-end solution that speeds up the rollout of gigabit-enabled full-fibre networks across Shropshire.
The deal involves Xantaro providing its cabinet-as-a-service street cabinet solution, alongside fixed and IP services from Nokia. As part of this collaboration, Xantaro has implemented a golden cab concept — taking street cabinets to a staging facility for rigorous testing before field deployment. This proof-of-concept approach ensures the Nokia kit is fully tested and configured, ready to be installed with minimal disruption.
In addition to the physical cabinet services, Xantaro is also providing its professional services team, the high level design and low level design for the active network, including the configuration of the network elements and the installation and commissioning of the Nokia Altiplano management platform.
As part of the Project Gigabit initiative, Freedom Fibre has been awarded a contract to provide connectivity to underserved communities in Shropshire. Xantaro’s expertise will certify a smooth and fast rollout of these services, as well as ensuring integration of assets from Freedom Fibre’s recent merger with VX UK, consolidating its network for large-scale deployment.
David Hough, network operations director at Freedom Fibre, said, “We sought a partner that could provide an end-to-end solution and Xantaro brings a wealth of experience to the table. Their agility, responsiveness, and strong ties across Nokia will help us accelerate our network rollout and support our ambition to become one of the top five altnets in the UK.”
Paul Alexander, vice president and country general manager UK&I at Nokia, said, “We are pleased to help Freedom Fibre connect more people to high-quality internet services using our interconnect routers, high-capacity fiber access nodes and suite of network management and automation tools.”
Xantaro is supporting more than 40 altnets across the UK to build networks for hard-to-reach and underserved communities. Xantaro was chosen for this project due its track record of delivering projects for service providers and in-house technical expertise and consultancy.
Stephen Kingdom, chief technology officer of fixed networks at Xantaro, said, “Xantaro is delighted to have been selected by Freedom Fibre for this project. We know the company’s growth plans and are excited to scale their network with cutting-edge technology that will bring advanced connectivity to their customers.”