CityFibre partners with Deepomatic for nationwide deployment of Visual Automation Technology

• CityFibre is now integrating Deepomatic’s Visual Automation Technology throughout its end-to-end network operations.
• The technology introduces significant operational efficiencies and supports CityFibre’s industry-leading ‘Right First Time’ service installation rates.
• Partnership represents the deepest integration of visual automation in the UK’s communications networks.

CityFibre, the UK’s largest independent full fibre platform, has partnered with Deepomatic to deploy its Visual Automation Technology across CityFibre’s national network by the end of 2022.

The industry-leading image recognition and AI technology supports CityFibre’s engineers by automating field-based quality-assurance capabilities at scale. This will help ensure CityFibre’s build, maintenance and installation work continues to meet the highest quality standards as it accelerates to serve 8 million homes by 2025.

For CityFibre’s service provider partners, the completed deployment of this technology from Fibre Exchange to secondary node, will bring further assurance that when a broadband service is ordered, the end-to-end network is verified as fully operational. The result will be a fast and friction-free end-customer install experience while further improving CityFibre’s industry-leading ‘Right First Time’ service installation rates.

CityFibre’s engineers use the app-based interface to upload images of network build, upgrade or maintenance-related work prior to closing a job. The images are then analysed in real time to either validate the work as complete or highlight issues that need addressing before leaving the site. The visual record and any associated notes are then stored to provide a searchable history of build information and maintenance activities that can be accessed on-demand by CityFibre’s network management and quality assurance teams.

Deepomatic’s technology is the only Visual Automation solution specifically designed for the telecommunication industry. By implementing it throughout its end-to-end build operations, CityFibre will achieve the deepest integration of the technology across any UK network. Beyond this, CityFibre is evaluating the potential for its use during the final installation of services to customer premises.

An initial pilot enabled CityFibre to implement the platform, test its live use and gather the feedback needed to deploy in the most efficient way. Nationwide rollout is now underway, with the technology already used across CityFibre’s Midland and Southern regions.

David Tomalin, Group Chief Technology Officer at CityFibre, said: “Deepomatic’s Visual Automation Technology is a key part of the Better By Design approach to deliver a world class network and service experience for our partners and their customers. It is helping us ensure quality standards are consistently met, reducing human error while empowering our people, and minimising repeat engineer visits. As well as delivering operational efficiencies and customer benefits from day one, it will enrich our network asset and records management over time, support predictive analysis work and inform our future network upgrade decisions.”

Augustin Marty, CEO at Deepomatic, said: "CityFibre is currently at the forefront of providing the new generation of full fibre infrastructure for the UK. We are delighted to support their visionary team in scaling quality and reliability to new heights. Thanks to visual automation, CityFibre will roll out fibre technology in a much faster way, grasping all the insights it needs to deliver an operationally premium network.”

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On the 1 March at 13:00-14:00 Deepomatic and CityFibre will be talking on a FTTH Council Europe webinar about this project. Click the link to register and learn more about: "How visual automation helps to build and maintain a world-class Full Fibre network".

Examples of Deepomatic technology in action: