BLACKPOOL LFFN ROLLOUT - The Networking People
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TNP. Network House
Caton Road, Lancaster
LA1 3PE
T: +44 (0)8456 800 659 BLACKPOOL
LFFN ROLLOUT
E: info@tnp.net.uk
www.tnp.net.uk
How the LFFN Project has transformed digital connectivity
in Blackpool – thanks to the Council’s outstanding
foresight and a long-standing strategic partnership
Blackpool Council’s long-standing
partnership with digital networks specialist
TNP has enabled the authority to lead
the UK rollout of LFFN (Local Full Fibre
Network) programmes designed to
transform the UK’s digital infrastructure.
1 2
The foresight and strategic The partnership enabled the Blackpool Council and other How did Blackpool get ahead?
planning of the authority Council to procure the LFFN public sector bodies on the
meant it had already begun infrastructure quickly, Fylde Coast including Wyre Partnership with TNP literally gave TNP originally secured a contract The Council retained ownership
the digital transformation of efficiently and cost effectively Council can now connect Blackpool a head start. Blackpool with the Council in 2012 to begin control, access and visibility of the
the town before it secured using transparent ‘open book’ more of their public buildings Council would have found it very creating its digital infrastructure and fully integrated hybrid network, while
funding of £3.1 million from contracts agreed with TNP and assets. Through the difficult to achieve their objectives won a new tender as Blackpool’s TNP provided the necessary technical
within a 2-year timescale without the Network Partner in 2017. A key part expertise and regulatory framework
the LFFN programme run by that guaranteed best value at co-operative commercial long-term innovative partnership with of that new contract was to help the to deliver the services.
the Department for Digital, every stage of the network arrangement, LFFN also TNP. That partnership has enabled authority secure LFFN funding and
The network, and the expertise
Culture, Media and Sport. procurement, implementation brings the benefits of high asset ownership, consultancy, and to facilitate delivering the network
offered by the Council’s framework
and support lifecycle. speed, high capacity the creation of the integrated-hybrid objectives of the bid proposal and
Lancaster-based TNP agreement partnership with TNP, is
broadband to organisations, network within that period. the Blackpool Digital Strategy.
(The Networking People) The LFFN rollout has now also accessed by the neighbouring
businesses and residents Its existing relationship with TNP gave As a strategic partner, TNP worked local authorities, key stakeholders
has worked with Blackpool been integrated into the the Council access to the highest closely with the council to put in the NHS and Higher/Further
within the town that would
since 2012 and that early Council’s hybrid network while level of network professionals in the together the bid that secured £3.1m Education plus education
otherwise have no access,
consultancy work and maintaining the Council’s total UK, with the in-house capability to for LFFN from DCMS in 2018, academy organisations.
fulfilling key objectives of design, build and operate advanced advising on the detailed content
construction of high capacity access, control and visibility Other authorities that received their
Blackpool’s Digital Strategy. municipal networks. Their agreement and refining the case for receiving
digital connectivity based on of the digital infrastructure in funding at the same time have not
also extended to the professional the funding to precisely meet the
a full fibre network laid the the town as well as sharing been able to make such rapid
services associated with the Government’s criteria and
foundations for a new digital spare capacity in the network progress as Blackpool Council
development and ongoing running of funding gateways.
because in Blackpool the structure
integrated-hybrid network with an innovative broadband a network, significantly enhancing
and network foundation was already
infrastructure created and cooperative. Blackpool Council’s capability and
in place, with a strategic partner
capacity to deliver the project.
owned by the local authority. on board.
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Why was LFFN needed in Blackpool? How was the new LFFN created?
The LFFN fund is pitched at new and Blackpool Council presented a However, Blackpool still required Blackpool Council owned and Integration with the Council’s owned- Blackpool Council successfully
innovative approaches to broadband perfect location for LFFN action. substantial investment to take the operated a diverse, resilient hybrid infrastructure delivers connectivity to designed, implemented and managed
roll-out that encourage additional The town also offered the advantage resort’s digital revolution to the next telecoms network across its area. all of its existing buildings, offices and a network consisting of dark fibre,
private sector investment in fibre-to- that much of the foundation had stage, enabling connections to more It incorporated a number of key schools and allows the infrastructure telephone exchange assets and
the-premises (FTTP) broadband. already been built, in terms of miles businesses, guest accommodation technology elements including to be harnessed, extended and rented fibre/copper circuits that
Under the “Public Sector Asset of fibre laid underground, hubs and and private homes. The council local telephone exchange assets, upgraded to benefit local business delivered connectivity to around
Reuse” model the public funding is data centres built and operational, aimed to use an innovative regulated fibre services (from and the residential and guest 150 locations across the town.
used to build a network for public and public buildings and businesses co-operative model to open up Openreach), and unregulated fibre economies. Gigabit connection The dark fibre tramway network
sector use. Private sector investment connected to the network with the the network for investment by services (from alternative providers vouchers are being used to now incorporates 110 tramstops/
in additional capacity on the network benefits of high speed, high capacity telecoms operators and Internet such as Virgin Media). increase business take-up. breakout points/ Points of Presence
can then be used to connect internet access. service providers (ISPs) to create Blackpool’s Digital Strategy (PoPs) which cross the carriageway
A comprehensive dark fibre network
neighbourhood homes and and share additional capacity. also embraces the opportunity and are in optimised locations to
spanned the town centre and the
businesses. to interconnect with the sub-sea take the network inland.
20km coastal tramway from the
southern boundary to the northern fibre infrastructure for Dublin, Belfast, These PoP cabinets provide
end of the coast and the the Isle of Man and the North Atlantic interconnection facilities for third
neighbouring authority of Wyre Loop (interconnecting New York, party fibre and ISP providers to utilise
Dublin, Blackpool, Newcastle and
Council at Fleetwood. The tramway spare capacity and interconnect with
Scandinavia) submarine cable coming
fibre was completed early in 2018 the fibre infrastructure at speeds of
ashore next to the tramway which is
under a ‘dig once’ model that 1Gb/s and 10Gb/s efficiently and
the spine of the network.
allowed upgrading of the tram system securely, ensuring that the Council
SCADA network to assist in the In addition, the technical architecture core network is not compromised.
funding of a fibre communications of the existing network lends itself to
easy interconnection and backhaul Enabling the infrastructure for
infrastructure.
requirements for a 5G infrastructure. asset reuse comprised of installing
All of the Council’s building and additional node points that allow for
locations (including schools) are At the heart of the pre-LFFN network “meet me” locations for third party
connected to a resilient core network were two highly resilient data centres providers such as ISPs and telecoms
3 using dark fibre, Openreach based interconnected with dark fibre. The carriers, thus giving access to 4
telephone exchange infrastructure newest purpose-built data centre backhaul facilities and point to
and carrier class microwave constructed in 2014 offers point high capacity fibre.
communications equipment. co-location space currently to
To maximise the capacity on
How does the new system work? Extending, augmenting and
other public sector customers
with sufficient capacity to support the Council’s original digital
maximising the existing network and new co-operative customers and infrastructure and new LFFN, TNP
tramway ducting meant Blackpool enhance the Full Fibre infrastructure. has employed wavelength division
The open access infrastructure The ‘thin layer model’ enables The Council also works closely could increase connectivity to its multiplexing (WDM) that combines
designed and built by TNP for the Blackpool and its public sector with the co-operative to establish buildings and assets, those of the The data centres were also multiple signals on laser beams at
Council facilitates easy use of the partners to invest in new ‘dig once’ principals wherever connected via a high speed
neighbouring authority and other various wavelengths for transmission
digital hybrid network by other ISPs infrastructure assets where a possible minimising disruption for resilient ring to Blackpool Tower for
public sector partners, plus stimulate along fibre optic cables. This will
and telco companies which are business case can be made to residents and businesses, avoiding microwave radio links and by fibre
business growth by enabling high allow for flexibility and capacity above
members of the ‘Cooperative meet needs. Those assets are unnecessary overbuild by private to the Openreach Blackpool Central
capacity digital connectivity. that offered by a basic and passive
Network’, chosen by the Council sewn together to form a coherent, sector competitors and enabling Telephone Exchange and small
fibre optic technology.
to develop and share the network. integrated infrastructure that can be both the public and private sector surrounding exchanges.
Co-operative members market and shared using a co-operative. Each full fibre investments to go further.
enable use of the services, to bridge investment is justified by a standalone
Moreover, the fully integrated hybrid
the ‘last 100 metre’ connections to business case but by linking assets
the digital network. together into a shared network, the
network that now exists in Blackpool INSTALLATION STATISTICS
is ready for further expansion when
business case benefits are multiplied.
Blackpool Council adopted the additional funding is secured,
pragmatic ‘thin layer model’ This means that Blackpool and other extending the fibre network and
pioneered in Tameside and public sector partners on the Fylde high-speed internet access to rural
endorsed by the Government to Coast including Wyre Council can areas such as those under Wyre
facilitate rapid deployment of new, connect more public buildings and and Fylde Councils, which are
‘full fibre’ infrastructure. assets. It also enables other
co-operative members to connect
neighbouring district councils to the
Blackpool Unitary Authority, and have
20Km 21Km 55Km 1,457 15,900 110
of new of upgrade to of new fibre properties properties Meet-me/points
many businesses that would a long tradition of partnership and
ducting existing ducting installed passed within passed within of presence
otherwise not have access to high collaboration on the Fylde Coast.
50 metres 200 metres (PoPs)
speed broadband.
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Blackpool’s digital infrastructure Overcoming barriers
strategic objectives
Engaging with the Government’s The Council engaged with the Andy Ellis from TNP who was the
Barrier Removal Taskforce in Taskforce on developing a principal liaison with Blackpool
identifying and implementing policies mechanism to ensure that ‘state aid’ Council for the LFFN rollout, reports
to reduce barriers to commercial issues were fully addressed through that the work was completed without
investment was a key requirement the structure of the co-operative to any substantial local disruption,
of the LFFN bid. engage the market for re-sellers and through careful planning and close
market connectivity on a compliant co-operation with the Council’s own
Blackpool Council was able to
basis without unfair advantage. teams and in particular the Highways
demonstrate there were no significant
Department.
technical or operational barriers to Blackpool Council’s existing
implementing the proposed investment in the fibre network and
infrastructure. Again, that was due the partnership’s expertise in network
to the previous work undertaken build meant civil engineering and
developing the existing integrated highway crossings for many locations
telecoms network with a ‘dig once’ had already been addressed with
principle and buy-in from Council ducting put in on the ‘dig once’
stakeholders and local organisations principle.
including NHS Trusts and Clinical
Commissioning Groups.
Two priorities exist side by side Digital transformation of Blackpool •O
pening up greater opportunities
for achieving Blackpool’s digital offers a range of other business for developing digital illuminations
infrastructure strategy; to increase advantages: and digital attractions.
5 tourism, industry and commerce & 6
•E
nhancing the visitor / guest / •P
roviding Digital Businesses and
to create stronger communities and
conference/ resort experience – Internet Companies unrivalled
increased resilience.
competing in the global attractions capacity and speed on a major
A key element for maximising growth marketplace where digital artery of the Internet connecting
and opportunity across Blackpool is interaction is essential. America and Europe.
providing a digital infrastructure in
•P
roviding new opportunities for Priority upgrades to public sector
the town’s two enterprise zones at
businesses/ guest houses/ hotels assets are also now achievable
Blackpool Airport and Hillhouse,
allowing them to modernise and through LFFN. In addition to the
where Full Fibre to Premises is
compete in the digital age. Enterprise Centres, upgrades are
needed to attract new businesses.
taking place for the Council-operated Profiling the perfect partner for LFFN
The local fibre combined with the •S
upporting smarter transport and
Blackpool Airport, leisure assets
transatlantic connectivity enables car parking to again improve the
including the Tower, Winter Gardens
round trip data speeds of sub sixty guest experience, benefit the Tony Doyle, Blackpool’s Head of ICT, Blackpool had an integrated All network hardware, components
and Madam Tussauds, the
milliseconds to New York. This environment and reduce was the project lead with support telecommunications network that and cabling would be owned by the
Illuminations management and
advanced capability provides a congestion. from his department and the wider it owned and was operated under Council with the partner using its
control, hotels and guest houses
unique opportunity for digital development team in the Council . a partnership model with a ‘communication provider’ status to
•E
nabling smarter conferencing and fronting the promenade, and the
businesses and Internet companies TNP was already in place as communications provider that had deliver the necessary relationships
events - a major contributor to the CCTV camera network and
to invest in Blackpool because the Blackpool Council’s external network no commercial interest or ownership with a variety of network operators.
Blackpool economy. Access to high ‘smart’ tramstops.
fibre speed and fibre capacity rivals enablement consultancy partner of the infrastructure.
capacity digital infrastructure in In the LFFN bid – Blackpool Council
the huge mainland UK data centre providing technical design authority,
conference venues and across the The extended LFFN network was stated: “The existing network partner
hubs in Slough serving London. implementation, project management
resort is likely to attract more and to be owned by Blackpool Council procurement awarded recently has
and ongoing support assistance - fully
There is also a pressing need to higher value conferences, and with the partner simply delivering the necessary scope to include the
integrating all aspects of the project.
provide improved digital access for compliment investments in new designated communications design and build of this
more than 140,000 residents in the hotel/apartment construction, The Council’s LFFN bid document provider functions, ongoing network infrastructure.”
area - evidenced by the fact that leisure attractions and improved therefore laid out a tough profile for management/billing support plus
It came down to a choice of one –
when the bid was made only one transportation. the ‘suitable partner’ required to options for first, second- and
TNP.
postcode in the Blackpool area had assist with the design, development, third-line support (including training
access to 300Mb/s + internet delivery and management of a new for Council IT staff members).
connectivity speeds. and existing wide area network.
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