press release

Fujikura Ltd. (Director, President and CEO Okada Naoki) has announced that its Wrapping Tube Cable® (WTC®*2), a small Wrapping Tube Cable (WTC) Optcal Fiber intermittently bonded Optcal Fiber core Spider Web ^Ribbon® (^SWR® * ¹), has been adopted as the optical fiber cable necessary for the construction of an in-house 4G and 5G communications network for the London Underground, operated by Transport for London (^TfL). Fujikura has begun deliveries to BAI Communications Pty. Ltd. ^*4 (headquarters: Australia), the concessionaire (operator of the right to operate public facilities, etc.) ^*3 business

The London Underground is one of the world's leading subway networks, with a total length of over 400 km, and with a total of 5 million users per day, it is a railway infrastructure with high social and public benefits as a major artery for London and the surrounding area. However, there are many requests to eliminate the lack of mobile phone and Wi-Fi coverage in subway stations and carriages, and there are hopes for the service to be launched soon.
BAI Communications signed a contract with Transport for London in 2020 to operate a new optical network. To complete the communications network by the end of 2024, the company plans to lay more than 2,000 km of cable and provide mobile phone and internet connections at all stations and lines on the London Underground. In this context, the adoption of our SWR ^® /WTC ^® Optcal Fiber cables will make a significant contribution to the development of the UK's information and communications infrastructure.

Adopted SWR ^® /WTC ^® strong point / feature of optical cables
- 12-fiber mass fusion splicing reduces splicing time and construction period
・Reducing CO2 emissions generated during manufacturing, transportation and installation by making the cable thinner and lighter
- Flame retardant, low smoke generation

Figure 1: Structure of Wrapping Tube Cable (WTC) (WTC ^Ⓡ) used

Fujikura will continue to develop innovative products through its information and communications infrastructure business, thereby contributing to the development of a 5G society, reducing the environmental burden, and advancing the advanced information society.


[Terminology explanation]
*1 Spider Web Ribbon ^Ⓡ (SWR ^Ⓡ) is our proprietary technology. Its flexibility enables high-density packaging within the cable, contributing to smaller diameters and higher density.
*2 Wrapping Tube ^Cable® (^WTC®) is the name of a small-diameter, high-density Optcal Fiber ribbon cable that uses ^SWR®. It enables a significant reduction in construction time compared to conventional Optcal Fiber cables.
(Our ^SWRⓇ / ^WTCⓇ special website: https://swrwtc.fujikura.jp/wrapping-tube-cable )
*3 A concession is a form of PPP (Public Private business.
*4 BAI Communications is a global leader in shared communications infrastructure with business in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, the UK, Ireland, Italy and the US. With many years at the forefront of network advancements, we work closely with our customers to realise their communications vision and create Optcal Fiber communities for all as they accelerate from 4G/LTE to 5G over fibre.