University of Herts Telecommunications/CCTV

In September 2003, the University of Hertfordshire opened its £120 million de Havilland campus comprising academic buildings, a 24/7 learning resources centre, 1600 en-suite student residences, a 460 seat auditorium and a sports centre.  The new campus, replacing campus sites based in Hertford and Watford, brings the University together in a virtually single-campus environment.

The University makes heavy use of integrated digital communication systems to support learning, teaching, research and administration, and has invested substantially in the resilience and robustness of its network infrastructure. 

REQUIREMENT

Optilan’s remit was to provide a future-proof optical fibre based telecommunications network, extending the scope of that infrastructure, including data, telephone and CCTV security systems networks, to the new campus. The new network also incorporates remote access between CCTV control rooms across the two sites.

CIVIL WORKS

The direct route proposed between the two campuses would cross newly developed areas around the Hatfield Galleria Shopping Centre. After detailed discussions with the Galleria project management team and the Local Authority Highways Department, Optilan learned that a Section 58 Notice was operating, thereby ensuring that this route could not be utilised. Optilan returned to re-survey the sites, and developed an innovative strategy to provide the required physical link.

Optilan’s strategy involved laying cable under the A1M motorway - a total of 120 metres under 8 lanes of traffic.  A Directional Drilling approach (also known as ’moling’), with start and finish positions on the motorway verges 7 metres above carriageway level, meant that optical cable could be laid well underneath the road,  minimising disruption to traffic and leaving the surface undisturbed.

Optilan’s Civil Works Department project managed all aspects of this process, liaising with the Highways Department and Secretary of State for Transport to obtain the relevant licences and approvals, and overseeing all works.  Of the 1.3km total, 900 metres of cabling was laid well underground by directional drilling.

THE CABLING

Single mode 48 fibre optical cable was used throughout—fibre optic cable is particularly favoured for bandwidth-hungry applications like CCTV.  Termination of the cable utilised PAS (Profile Alignment System) fusion spliced jointing and termination.  A highly skilled, specialist technique, PAS fusion splicing virtually eliminates signal loss between joints, as well as providing the most resilient and controllable connection. Optilan are UK leaders in PAS Fusion Splicing.

THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM

CCTV transmission equipment was provided at both the College Lane campus and the de Havilland campus, giving 24 video channel remote camera access and telemetry control between sites for maximum security.  Modems were provided to tie the two campus PABXs together, providing full systems interconnectivity. 

HEALTH, SAFETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Inherently inert, fibre telecommunications technology is favoured in the most hazardous environments - in power stations, on oil rigs, on underground rail systems.  Geared to operating in such environments, Optilan’s rigorous approach to Health & Safety on site also benefits environments, like University Campuses and Shopping Centres, where hazards are less obvious but the safety and convenience of the public is critical.

INSTALLATION

Earlier project overruns reduced Optilan’s allocated 8 week installation period to a window of only 3 weeks if the overall project deadline, dictated by the new Academic Year, was to be met.  To meet this challenge, Optilan drew upon the full resources of its Fibre Field Force, the largest fully employed team in the UK.   In excess of 20 Fibre Engineers were deployed on the project during the revised installation period.  As a result of this determined effort by all concerned, the deadline was successfully met and the Hatfield de Havilland campus opened right on time.

THE RESULT

Students at The University of Hertfordshire are now enjoying the benefits of the new combined campus with its fully integrated state of the art facilities for study and leisure.