Nexans has developed a way for telecom service providers to tackle the major headache of unauthorised access to their fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) street cabinets.

Known as INFRABIRD, the intelligent keyless access and internet of things (IoT) supervision system can be deployed in just a few minutes to turn passive cabinets into smart, cloud-connected assets.

The product is based on low power sensors that connect FTTH cabinets to IoT networks such as LoRa and Sigfox. It also comprises a smart lock such as the battery-free ILOQ S50 to provide keyless access to authorized maintenance personnel, as well as mobile and web applications.

Once installed, the device allows telecom network operators to secure their critical infrastructure by monitoring the status of street cabinets and the history of any actions carried out.

Nexans has built on its expertise in fibre networks to develop INFRABIRD as part of its overall service offering for FTTH customers.

It is intended for retrofitting in outdoor cabinets, where the optical fibers are distributed between the network owner and the commercial operator.

The system is fast and easy to install, claims Nexans, especially as it does not require a special power supply or fiber optic cables. Battery-free keyless operation also reduces maintenance as there is no need to replace batteries.

Since its launch, around 40 INFRABIRD systems have already been installed on FTTH sites deemed sensitive. Nexans predicts that this number will increase exponentially with fiber-optic deployments, exceeding 50,000 cabinets in France equipped with INFRABIRD or an equivalent system by 2025.