Dublin Core
Title
ANALYSIS OF FIBRE OPTIC SYSTEM FAILURES IN THE NETWORKS OF VODAFONE GHANA
Creator
Emmanuel Atebawone
Description
The Optical fiber communication system in telecommunication transmission networks has
enormous characteristics such as very high bandwidth, security and speed over the traditional
systems such as microwave especially in the backhaul and front haul. Although mobile network
operators have significantly invested in their transmission network using fiber optic infrastructure
to replace the traditional systems, there has been an increase in the number of network outages in
fiber optics networks such as fiber cable and components failures. This research work was carried
out using Vodafone Ghana Ltd optical network infrastructure as a case study to investigate and
analyze causes of failures in fiber optic systems. The research design is explanatory, a pragmatic
approach, where the initial quantitative data results were further explained with a qualitative study.
Interview guide used to obtain the qualitative data and a questionnaire used for the quantitative
data from the technical teams responsible for maintaining the optical network across the country
and have the technical expertise of operating and maintaining the optical network.
The study established there are major and minor causes of fibers optic systems failures. The major
failures are constructions/excavating/digging activities, broken core issues, messy joint box faults
and rodents/terminate activities. While bush burning, weeding/farming, vandalism, sand winning,
faulty splitter, aerial cable damage, cable theft, rains/flooding, kink, degraded core, patch cord
issues and faulty module are minor causes. The study further established that it’s due to internal
factors such as no due diligence in deployment of fibers systems leading to cables been exposed
or shallow buried, leaving dugout not correctly covered, exposed fiber cabinets too natural
phenomenon such as rains/floods/terminates, and virtually no routine preventive maintenance.
Although, this study acknowledges that there is the need for external stakeholder consultation in
addressing one of the major issues such as the activities of the contractors, this study is of the view
that considering root causes of the both the major and minor issues, internal stakeholder is much needed in this regard.
enormous characteristics such as very high bandwidth, security and speed over the traditional
systems such as microwave especially in the backhaul and front haul. Although mobile network
operators have significantly invested in their transmission network using fiber optic infrastructure
to replace the traditional systems, there has been an increase in the number of network outages in
fiber optics networks such as fiber cable and components failures. This research work was carried
out using Vodafone Ghana Ltd optical network infrastructure as a case study to investigate and
analyze causes of failures in fiber optic systems. The research design is explanatory, a pragmatic
approach, where the initial quantitative data results were further explained with a qualitative study.
Interview guide used to obtain the qualitative data and a questionnaire used for the quantitative
data from the technical teams responsible for maintaining the optical network across the country
and have the technical expertise of operating and maintaining the optical network.
The study established there are major and minor causes of fibers optic systems failures. The major
failures are constructions/excavating/digging activities, broken core issues, messy joint box faults
and rodents/terminate activities. While bush burning, weeding/farming, vandalism, sand winning,
faulty splitter, aerial cable damage, cable theft, rains/flooding, kink, degraded core, patch cord
issues and faulty module are minor causes. The study further established that it’s due to internal
factors such as no due diligence in deployment of fibers systems leading to cables been exposed
or shallow buried, leaving dugout not correctly covered, exposed fiber cabinets too natural
phenomenon such as rains/floods/terminates, and virtually no routine preventive maintenance.
Although, this study acknowledges that there is the need for external stakeholder consultation in
addressing one of the major issues such as the activities of the contractors, this study is of the view
that considering root causes of the both the major and minor issues, internal stakeholder is much needed in this regard.
Subject
MSc Engineering and Management
Publisher
University Library
Date
September 2019
Contributor
Dr. D. M. O. Adjin