Universal Communications Group (UCG) is one of the leading providers of cost-efficient residential communications and media services in Australia. UCG’s core business designs, builds, and manages robust communications networks for both greenfield developments and retrofits.

The homeowners association of Pacific Park condominiums turned to UCG to replace the building’s failing coax free-to-air (FTA) TV network. The 162-unit, upscale community in suburban Sydney needed better telecommunications and video service, but did not want to alter the building’s interior decor.

“We surveyed the building and discovered that it had been cabled with poor-quality, air-spaced coaxial cable in a looped topology, where cables ran in a daisy chain fashion from unit to unit,” says Jack Newlin-Mazaraki, UCG.

The association chose to install a fiber-to-the-unit platform. Owners wanted each living unit to be equipped with 2 fiber wall outlets. However, the structure lacked existing conduits or cable pathways. UCG considered a number of potential solutions to run fiber through the hallways and into living units, including a skirting board system, removal and replacement of the ceiling cornice, and a range of PVC trunking options. All of these options were deemed unsuitable by the client due to cost or visual impact.

Owners instead chose all-in-one fiber cable and pathway solutions. For the hallway, owners approved an adhesive-backed, surface-mount, horizontal cable pathway and drop cable solution installed simultaneously in one pass around the hallway perimeter. For the living units, they selected the 3M One Pass Mini Fiber Pathway. An extension of the hallway solution, the solution contains single, ultra-bend-insensitive fiber capable of maintaining a 5 mm bend radius, allowing it to turn around sharp corners without affecting signal performance. Both pathways adhere to a variety of wall surfaces and are paintable.

After 1 day of training, UCG technicians installed 5,100 feet of duct in the hallways and 23,000 feet in living units. The installation was completed in 5 weeks and UCG reports outstanding results in terms of performance, aesthetics, and cost savings.

The homeowners association of Pacific Park condominiums in Australia chose an all-in-one fiber cable and cable pathway solution for fiber-to-the-unit deployment.

UCG technicians easily installed 5,100 feet of duct in the hallways and 23,000 in living units after only 1 day of training.

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