B4RN brings 400G to rural UK with Smartoptics

The upgrade project will make the network future-proof through 2030 with flexible and cost-effective network solutions.

B4RN was launched in 2011 to bring world-leading full fibre broadband speeds to underserved rural areas in the UK. As a community benefit society, any surplus made is put back into the communities. The rural UK Internet service provider (ISP) performs a major network upgrade every seven years. The goal is to choose future-proof solutions that will last until the next upgrade project.

Smartoptics equipment has already been deployed in the past. Building on this past success, B4RN turned to Smartoptics once again to upgrade its entire backbone network.

The upgrade project aims to support 400G in the rural core network with new dark fibre extending about 650km creating a ring around the north of the UK between Manchester, Newcastle, and Leeds. Smartoptics open line systems along with 10G and 400G optics were selected to future-proof the network through 2030.

“Cost efficiency, quality, and reliability were key decision criteria for us. Smartoptics products were the best option we could find, meeting these criteria brilliantly and effectively meeting our needs for everything from 10G to 400G. We also appreciate the plug-and-play setup and ease of use. But as much as we like the products, our close relationship with Smartoptics is no less important. Smartoptics has been there for us as we continue to grow and bring greater connectivity to underserved communities,” Tom Rigg, COO, B4RN.

Distances between nodes in the backbone network range from about 40 to 100km – typical of a rural operating environment and longer than many metro networks. Smartoptics supports rural internet service providers in meeting their needs, including these distances, and provides a 24/7 direct line to engineers for support.

“At Smartoptics we actively seek out and cater to rural providers that other optical networking vendors tend to disregard. Our cost efficiency, open values, and close collaboration have been appreciated by rural providers across the UK, America and Continental Europe. We are very proud to be a part of what B4RN has accomplished, and I have no doubt that they will continue to be a source of inspiration for many, including us, going forward,” says Paul Joseph, Sales Director UK & Ireland, Smartoptics.