Fibre Optic Network Planning and Design Course
The Fibre Optic Network Planning and Design Course is a five-day Open Awards Level 3 programme for experienced fibre professionals moving into network planning and design. Delegates learn how to plan fibre routes, assess underground and overhead infrastructure, interpret network topologies, understand PON and Point-to-Point architectures, evaluate capacity and resilience, and prepare network planning documentation. The course also covers surveying, network mapping, civil engineering considerations, safety, route feasibility and future network growth, giving learners the practical knowledge needed to design scalable and maintainable fibre optic infrastructure.
The Fibre Optic Network Planning and Design Course develops the knowledge and practical planning skills required to design fibre optic infrastructure for telecommunications, broadband, data centre, energy and other high-capacity network environments. Delegates learn how to translate client and operational requirements into practical fibre network designs that consider topology, fibre type, route planning, capacity, resilience, scalability, installation requirements and future growth.
The course also considers the wider infrastructure required to support fibre deployment, including ducts, chambers, poles, cabinets, network nodes, civil engineering requirements, maintenance access and project documentation. The focus is on producing fibre network designs that are technically appropriate, cost-effective, maintainable and capable of supporting both current and future network requirements.
About this course:
The Fibre Optic Network Planning and Design Course is designed to develop the knowledge and practical planning skills required to create reliable, scalable and cost-effective fibre optic network infrastructure.
Designing an external fibre network involves much more than selecting a cable route. A successful design must consider the current operational requirements, expected future growth, resilience, capacity, maintenance access, civil engineering requirements, installation methods, safety, documentation and the total lifetime cost of the network.
Delegates learn how to translate client, technical and operational requirements into practical fibre network designs that can support both current services and future technology upgrades. The course considers the complete network planning process, from initial requirements and route selection through to fibre allocation, infrastructure design, network documentation and project planning.
A key part of the course is understanding how different fibre network topologies and architectures influence performance, resilience and scalability. Delegates consider point-to-point, point-to-multipoint and passive optical network principles, together with the physical infrastructure required to support fibre deployment.
The course also examines the wider infrastructure associated with external fibre networks, including ducts, chambers, poles, cabinets, network nodes, cable routes and civil engineering requirements. Delegates consider how these elements affect installation, accessibility, fault response, maintenance and future expansion.
Network capacity and future growth are important parts of the planning process.
Delegates learn to consider fibre counts, spare capacity, network expansion, equipment locations, route diversity and resilience when developing a fibre infrastructure design.
The course also considers the commercial aspects of network planning, including material requirements, project costing, resource planning and the importance of designing infrastructure that is technically suitable without introducing unnecessary cost.
Accurate network documentation is essential throughout the design, installation and operational life of a fibre network. Delegates therefore develop an understanding of route plans, network diagrams, fibre allocation, cable schedules, infrastructure records and the documentation required to support installation, commissioning, maintenance and future network changes.
Fibre optic network planning and design skills can be applied across a wide range of sectors, including:
✔️ Telecommunications networks
✔️ Fibre broadband and access network deployments
✔️ FTTP and FTTx infrastructure
✔️ Enterprise and campus fibre networks
✔️ Data centre interconnect infrastructure
✔️ Utility and energy networks
✔️ Renewable energy projects
✔️ Offshore wind farms
✔️ Industrial fibre networks
✔️ Transport and infrastructure networks
✔️ Private fibre networks
The overall objective is to give delegates a structured approach to fibre network planning and design so they can develop infrastructure that is safe, practical, maintainable, scalable and capable of supporting both present and future network requirements.
Learning Objectives:
The course develops the knowledge and practical planning skills required to interpret network requirements, assess proposed routes and produce structured fibre optic network designs. Delegates learn how to combine technical, operational, safety and regulatory information when planning fibre infrastructure for both underground and overhead deployment.
By the end of the course, delegates will be able to:
✔️ Describe and interpret fibre optic network topologies suitable for different deployment environments.
✔️ Explain the technologies used within fibre network deployments and how they influence planning and design decisions.
✔️ Describe the principles of desktop planning, surveying and on-site network planning.
✔️ Explain the differences between Passive Optical Networks (PON) and Point-to-Point fibre networks.
✔️ Interpret network plans and prepare preliminary site surveys using proposed and assured routes.
✔️ Plan fibre routes for both underground and overhead network infrastructure.
✔️ Identify suitable locations for network infrastructure and network furniture, including chambers, cabinets, poles and network nodes.
✔️ Apply network dimensioning principles to support efficient fibre distribution, network coverage and future capacity.
✔️ Consider fibre counts, spare capacity, resilience and future expansion when planning network infrastructure.
✔️ Identify hazards and appropriate controls associated with different environmental and deployment conditions.
✔️ Describe the standards, legislation and regulatory requirements relevant to fibre network surveying and planning.
✔️ Gather sufficient technical, geographical and regulatory information to assess the feasibility of proposed network routes.
✔️ Evaluate access requirements, physical constraints, existing infrastructure and route suitability during the planning process.
✔️ Plan the collection of survey and network information within timescales appropriate to project requirements.
✔️ Interpret, access and import network information and survey evidence into an appropriate digital network mapping system.
✔️ Interpret network diagrams, route plans and infrastructure information.
✔️ Prepare and produce fibre network planning documentation in accordance with project, client and technical requirements.
✔️ Explain and justify network planning decisions when scoping proposed works.
✔️ Consider civil engineering requirements, installation methods, maintenance access and operational requirements during the design process.
✔️ Develop fibre network designs that consider performance, cost, safety, maintainability and future network growth.
✔️ Communicate proposed network designs clearly to project managers, surveyors, installation teams and other stakeholders.
Practical application is central to the course. Delegates are encouraged to understand not only how a fibre network should be planned, but why particular design decisions are made and how fibre transmission, network architecture and physical infrastructure influence the final design.
Suitable for:
This course is designed for experienced fibre optic and telecommunications professionals who already understand fibre installation and testing and want to progress into network planning, surveying and design. It is particularly suitable for people involved in FTTP, external network infrastructure, route planning, project delivery and fibre network development.
✔️ Experienced fibre optic installers
✔️ Fibre optic test engineers
✔️ Fibre network planners
✔️ Fibre network designers
✔️ Telecommunications surveyors
✔️ FTTP and FTTx planners
✔️ OSP and external network engineers
✔️ Project engineers and project managers
✔️ Broadband deployment teams
✔️ Data centre and enterprise fibre engineers
✔️ Technical staff progressing from field-based fibre installation into planning, surveying and design roles
Course modules:
The course is structured around the key stages involved in planning, surveying, designing and documenting fibre optic network infrastructure. Delegates work through the technical, physical and operational considerations required to develop practical fibre network designs for real-world deployment environments.
✔️ Fibre optic network planning principles
✔️ Understanding client, operational and capacity requirements
✔️ Fibre network architecture and topology selection
✔️ Point-to-Point fibre network design
✔️ Passive Optical Network (PON) principles
✔️ FTTP and FTTx network planning considerations
✔️ Desktop planning and route assessment
✔️ Preliminary site surveys and feasibility checks
✔️ Underground fibre route planning
✔️ Overhead fibre route planning
✔️ Duct, chamber and pole infrastructure considerations
✔️ Network cabinet and node placement
✔️ Fibre distribution and network dimensioning
✔️ Fibre count selection and spare-capacity planning
✔️ Route diversity, resilience and future expansion
✔️ Network furniture and infrastructure placement
✔️ Civil engineering requirements associated with fibre deployment
✔️ Installation-method considerations during the design stage
✔️ Environmental constraints and route hazards
✔️ Safety considerations for survey and planning activities
✔️ Standards, legislation and regulatory requirements
✔️ Assessing the availability and feasibility of proposed routes
✔️ Gathering technical and regulatory survey information
✔️ Interpreting existing network records and infrastructure information
✔️ Network mapping and digital planning systems
✔️ Importing route and survey evidence into network mapping systems
✔️ Interpreting network diagrams and route plans
✔️ Producing preliminary network designs
✔️ Preparing fibre allocation and cable schedules
✔️ Producing network planning and design documentation
✔️ Material and infrastructure requirement planning
✔️ Project scoping and planning decisions
✔️ Cost, maintainability and operational considerations
✔️ Planning for future technology upgrades and network growth
✔️ Communicating design requirements to survey, installation and project teams
Certification Information:
Successful delegates will achieve the Open Awards Level 3 Award in Optical Network Design and Planning (RQF).
This regulated Level 3 qualification is designed for individuals who want to work in fibre network design and planning, progress into installation supervision or management, or formally recognise existing experience within the telecommunications and data communications sector.
The qualification covers key areas including fibre network planning, optical fibre types and components, duct and cable infrastructure, route planning, access network design, route documentation, commissioning considerations and the impact of network design on maintenance and emergency repair.
Qualification: Open Awards Level 3 Award in Optical Network Design and Planning (RQF)
Qualification Number: 603/7805/0
Awarding Organisation: Open Awards
Entry Requirements
Delegates should have a good working knowledge of fibre optic installation and testing before attending this course. Previous practical experience with fibre cable preparation, termination, fusion splicing, optical loss testing and OTDR testing will help delegates gain the greatest benefit from the planning and design content.
This course is intended as a natural progression for experienced fibre installers and engineers who want to move from field-based installation and testing activities into fibre network surveying, planning, design, documentation and project roles.
Career Progression:
Completing the Fibre Optic Network Planning and Design Course can support progression from field-based fibre installation and testing into more advanced planning, surveying, design and project roles within the telecommunications and fibre infrastructure sector.
The course is particularly relevant for experienced fibre professionals who want to take greater responsibility for route planning, network architecture, capacity, resilience, infrastructure selection, documentation and project delivery.
Potential progression routes include:
✔️ Fibre Network Planner
✔️ Fibre Network Designer
✔️ FTTP Planner
✔️ FTTx Network Planner
✔️ Telecoms Design Engineer
✔️ OSP Network Planner
✔️ Fibre Surveyor
✔️ Network Infrastructure Planner
✔️ Project Engineer
✔️ Fibre Project Manager
✔️ Network Design Coordinator
✔️ Technical Planner
✔️ Infrastructure Consultant
✔️ Planning and Design Supervisor
The Open Awards Level 3 qualification also provides formal recognition of the knowledge and skills associated with optical network design and planning, which can strengthen progression into roles involving fibre network design, surveying, project planning and technical coordination.
Price:
£895.00 + VAT
Duration:
5 Days.
Course Dates
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this fibre network design course suitable for beginners?
This course is not intended as an entry-level introduction to fibre optics. Delegates should already have a working knowledge of fibre optic installation and testing, ideally including cable preparation, fusion splicing, optical loss testing and OTDR testing.
It is designed as a progression route for experienced fibre installers, engineers and telecommunications professionals who want to move from field-based activities into fibre network surveying, planning, design and project roles.
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What job roles can this course help me move into?
The course can support progression into roles such as Fibre Network Planner, Fibre Network Designer, Telecoms Design Engineer, FTTP Planner, OSP Planner, Surveyor, Project Engineer and other fibre infrastructure planning positions.
It is particularly relevant for people who already understand fibre installation and want to develop the additional skills needed to assess routes, plan network infrastructure, produce design documentation and justify technical planning decisions.
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Will I learn how to design real-world fibre networks?
Yes. The course focuses on practical fibre network planning and design rather than design theory in isolation.
Delegates learn how to consider client requirements, network topology, proposed routes, fibre distribution, capacity, resilience, underground and overhead infrastructure, civil engineering requirements, network furniture, future growth and maintenance access when developing a network design.
The aim is to help delegates understand how a proposed fibre network could be planned and documented for real deployment.
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Does the course cover FTTP and Passive Optical Networks?
Yes. The course includes the principles of Passive Optical Networks and Point-to-Point fibre architectures and considers how these technologies influence network planning and design.
Delegates develop an understanding of fibre distribution, network dimensioning, route planning, capacity and infrastructure requirements relevant to broadband and access-network deployments, including FTTP and other FTTx applications.
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Does the course cover underground and overhead fibre network planning?
Yes. Delegates consider both underground and overhead fibre infrastructure when planning network routes.
This includes the use of ducts, chambers, poles, cabinets and other network infrastructure, together with the physical, environmental, access and safety considerations that can affect route feasibility.
The course also considers how existing infrastructure and proposed civil engineering requirements influence network planning decisions.
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Will I learn how to carry out desktop planning and site surveying?
Yes. Desktop planning, preliminary surveying and on-site planning form important parts of the programme.
Delegates learn how to review existing network information, assess proposed routes, gather technical and regulatory information, identify potential constraints and determine whether a proposed route is practical.
Survey information can then be used to support the development of network plans, route documentation and project requirements.
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Does the course cover fibre network mapping and documentation?
Yes. Accurate network records are an important part of fibre planning and design.
Delegates learn how to interpret network plans, route information and infrastructure records, gather survey evidence and work with appropriate digital network mapping systems.
The course also covers the preparation of planning documentation, route information and network records required to communicate the proposed design to project, survey and installation teams.
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Will I learn how to plan fibre capacity and future network growth?
Yes. Network dimensioning and future capacity are important parts of the course.
Delegates consider fibre counts, distribution requirements, spare capacity, future expansion, network coverage and resilience when developing a fibre network design.
This helps ensure that networks are not designed solely around the immediate requirement but can accommodate future services, additional customers and technology upgrades where appropriate.
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Does the course cover network resilience and route diversity?
Yes. Delegates learn why resilience should be considered during the planning stage and how network topology, route selection and infrastructure design can affect service availability.
Where appropriate, the course considers route diversity, network redundancy, spare capacity and the operational impact of network failures or future maintenance activities.
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Does the course cover civil engineering requirements?
Yes. Fibre network design often has a direct relationship with civil engineering requirements.
The course considers how ducts, chambers, poles, access routes and other physical infrastructure can affect the feasibility, cost and delivery of a fibre project.
Delegates learn to consider these requirements during planning so that the proposed network design can be practically installed and maintained.
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Does the course cover UK standards, legislation and safety requirements?
Yes. Delegates develop an understanding of the standards, legislation, regulatory requirements and safety considerations relevant to fibre network planning and surveying.
The course looks at how these requirements influence route assessment, infrastructure selection, survey activities, documentation and network planning decisions.
The emphasis is on understanding how compliance and safety should be considered from the design stage rather than being addressed only once installation begins.
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Is this an Open Awards qualification?
Yes. Successful delegates achieve the Open Awards Level 3 Award in Optical Network Design and Planning (RQF).
The qualification formally recognises the knowledge and skills associated with planning and designing optical fibre networks and provides a Level 3 progression route for experienced fibre professionals moving into network planning and design responsibilities.
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What are the entry requirements?
Delegates should have previous knowledge and practical experience of fibre optic installation and testing.
The course is designed as a progression route for experienced fibre installers and engineers rather than a first introduction to fibre optics.
Previous experience of fibre installation, fusion splicing, optical testing or telecom network deployment will help delegates gain the greatest benefit from the programme.
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Why are fibre network planning and design skills important?
Modern fibre networks need to support increasing bandwidth requirements, network expansion, new services and long-term infrastructure investment.
Effective planning helps ensure that fibre routes, capacity, infrastructure and network architecture are appropriate for both current and future requirements.
Good network design can also reduce unnecessary construction, avoid capacity problems, improve maintainability and help organisations make better use of existing infrastructure.
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Where is the course delivered?
The course is delivered by Fibre Optics Training UK at our specialist training centre in Crewe, Cheshire.
Corporate delivery may also be available for organisations requiring fibre network planning and design training for their engineering or planning teams, subject to programme requirements.