SOLUTION 01
Brownfield MDU —
Fiber for Old European Apartment Buildings
Pre-1980 apartment blocks with congested risers, limited shaft access, and heritage
building restrictions. Classic FTTH pull-through is often impossible — we provide two
proven alternatives.
THE CHALLENGE
Why Traditional FTTH Fails in Old Buildings
Pre-1980 apartment buildings across Europe were built before fiber was ever conceived. Their infrastructure poses unique obstacles that make standard FTTH deployment impractical, prohibitively expensive, or simply impossible without significant structural work.
- Riser shafts already packed with copper, coax, gas, and water pipes — no room for new fiber conduit
- Heritage-listed facades and interiors prohibit drilling new cable routes through walls
- Tenant access required per apartment — scheduling nightmare across 40–60 units per building
- Micro-trenching streets not permitted in historic city centers
- Mixed ownership (private + social housing) creates approval bottlenecks
87M
Pre-1980 apartment units across EU-27 still without fiber
3–6 mo
Average time to complete FTTH in a single brownfield MDU block
€400+
Per-unit deployment cost using traditional FTTH methods
OUR APPROACH
Two Proven Deployment Strategies
OPTION A
FTTB + G.fast / G.hn
Fiber enters the basement only. A mini-DSLAM converts optical signal to G.fast or G.hn over existing copper pairs. Each apartment gets 500 Mbps–1 Gbps without any in-building fiber installation. Full building deployed in under one day.
- Zero in-unit installation needed
- Reuses existing copper pairs to each apartment
- 500 Mbps – 1 Gbps per tenant
- Full building done in < 1 day
OPTION B
Full FTTH — Quick ODN Method
Pre-terminated riser cables routed through existing shafts. Per-floor FAT boxes with snap-in connectors. G.657A2 bend-insensitive drop cables squeezed through door frames and cable channels. No new conduit drilling.
- True fiber-to-the-unit — future-proof
- Pre-terminated cables cut install time 60%
- G.657A2 handles tight bends (7.5mm radius)
- No structural modification needed
NETWORK ARCHITECTURE
Fiber Path: Street to Apartment
Street FDB
16-port · IP65 · SC/APC · pole/wall mount
→
Building Entry NAP
8-port · IP65 · wall mount · compact
→
Basement ODF + Splitter
1:16 PLC · SC/APC · wall mount
→
Floor FAT Box
8-port · G.657A2 · pre-terminated
→
In-unit FTB + Pigtail
2-port · 86mm flush panel
BILL OF MATERIALS
Recommended Product Stack — per 100 Homes
| PRODUCT | SPECIFICATION | QTY |
|---|---|---|
| 16-Port Fiber Distribution Box | IP65 · SC/APC · pole/wall mount | 7 |
| 8-Port Building Entry NAP Box | IP65 · SC/APC · wall mount | 14 |
| 1:16 PLC Splitter (rack/wall) | SC/APC · 900μm · low loss 0.2dB | 7 |
| 8-Port Floor FAT Box | Pre-terminated · G.657A2 · snap-in | 25 |
| 2-Port Fiber Termination Box | 86mm flush · SC/APC · white | 100 |
| SC/APC Pigtail (1.5m) | G.657A2 · 0.9mm · simplex | 200 |
| Indoor Drop Cable (per meter) | G.657A2 · 2.0×3.0mm · LSZH | 1,500 m |
Need an Exact BOM?
Send us your building floor plan and unit count. We'll return a complete product list with pricing within 24 hours.
NOTES
- Quantities assume 4 floors × 25 units average MDU
- Splitter ratio adjustable: 1:8, 1:16, or 1:32
- All products available with CE, RoHS, and IP test reports
- OEM branding available on orders over 500 pcs
EXPLORE MORE
Other Deployment Scenarios
02
Greenfield Office & Commercial Building
New office towers and mixed-use developments in SE Asia and Middle East.
03
Outdoor OSP Last-Mile Rollout
Aerial and buried outside plant for residential streets in Africa and Latin America.
04
Small ISP First China Procurement
First-time sourcing guide for small ISP teams ordering fiber components from China.
Describe your deployment scenario — building type, country, approximate home or unit count, and any special requirements. We'll reply within 24 hours with a product recommendation and indicative pricing.