This sensing solution is part of a joint program with nbn to investigate new ways to monitor and prevent accidental damage to Australian suppliers' fiber networks. In a three-month trial, nbn is exploring the use of DigitalAsset sensing services to detect certain vibration frequencies on optical fibers and use artificial intelligence to determine if the activity causing these vibrations may be causing accidental damage.
The monitoring and diagnostic technology provides additional insight into nbn's infrastructure. It can detect physical activity near the fiber optic cables that carry the fiber connected to the system. Early warning or detection identifies and minimizes potential fiber optic cable impacts before they occur, while providing real-time status monitoring for maintenance. In addition, the service does not interfere with the underlying data services supported by the nbn fiber. For FiberSense, the trial is another upgrade to deployments in the Asia-Pacific region and adds to the new services recently announced in New Zealand and on many important Pacific submarine cables.
The trial is being conducted at an nbn test facility and a fiber optic cable path in Melbourne and is expected to run through November 2022.
As Australia's digital backbone, the nbn network is evolving as we seek to stay ahead of the growing demand for reliable broadband Internet in Australia," said Ray Owen, Chief Technology Officer of nbn. We are excited to learn how advanced optical monitoring and diagnostic technologies, such as those offered by FiberSense, can provide additional insight into the types of activity that may be detected in the field and how the response process works when such activity comes dangerously close to nbn network assets. This could mean less unplanned downtime due to accidental damage and help ensure we keep families, communities and businesses connected."
Dr. Mark Englund, founder and CEO of FiberSense, added, "The nbn trial marks another step forward in our desire to achieve global expansion. Our goal is to operate on all of the world's preeminent fiber networks, and Australia's nbn is undoubtedly recognized as one of the 'best' among operators in other countries. The demonstration will apply our portfolio of proprietary software-based sensing products to provide early warning and event detection notifications that could impact critical infrastructure, such as nbn from intentional or accidental damage by third parties."
