All of Rotterdam on fiber optics

For the first time, a major Dutch city is being connected to fiber optics on this scale. With a Rotterdam fiber network, there is a basis to make Rotterdam a real smart city. It involves connecting 295,000 homes in total.

Rotterdam wants to lead the way in digital economy
Society is digitizing rapidly. From the Roadmap Next Economy, Rotterdam is working to develop and scale up digital connections, networks, platforms and data in the city. Rotterdam has great potential to lead in the digital economy. In Europe, as part of the Rotterdam The Hague Metropolitan Region, the city scores fourth place with research and development in this regard. To lead the way, a fiber optic network is an important precondition. Rotterdammers are using their internet more and more intensively. More and more information goes through the network. Fiberglass can handle this increasing demand. While the current connections will soon be unable to deliver the required speeds. The next generation of networks will be faster, more flexible and more secure than anything currently available.

Important for economic development
Barbara Kathmann, alderman for the economy, neighborhoods and small towns endorses the importance of a citywide fiber optic network. Kathmann: "Fiberglass is an important infrastructural basis for the city of the future. A municipality-wide fiber optic network can make the management of the city and its surroundings smarter and ultimately cheaper. It is also important for the economic development of Rotterdam. Fiber provides fast and reliable internet for big data companies or other businesses that process large amounts of information. Such as the creative industry, where games, among other things, are developed. But there are more benefits than just a new, faster connection. An open fiber network stimulates the development of new services such as care services to live at home longer. This in turn means additional job opportunities. Rotterdam becomes more livable with this network and we strengthen the business climate'.

Start of construction in Kralingen
In consultation with the municipality of Rotterdam, L2Fiber chose Kralingen as the starting location. Oscar Kuiper, initiator and owner of L2Fiber Rotterdam: 'We chose this because of the diversity in the neighborhood. Both diversity in cultures and diversity in low and high-rise buildings. We will start by connecting a flat with about seventy homes on Robert Baeldestraat. After that, the contractor will quickly move on to other Rotterdam neighborhoods. We can't say anything about the order of these at the moment. But in five years' time all Rotterdam households will have fiber optics.'

'I quite understand that people are skeptical about our ambition,' Oscar points out. 'We are not the first party to announce this. But I've been in fiber optics for 20 years and know what I'm talking about. The permit for Kralingen is in place. The money is available and we have even started. Yes, we are really going to do it.'

CO2-neutral project
An added bonus to L2Fiber Rotterdam 's fiber optic network is CO2-neutral. It uses eighty percent less energy than copper (existing networks) and for the remaining twenty percent the company uses green energy. Thus, this project also fits well with the sustainable objectives of the Municipality of Rotterdam.

Fiber for businesses too
L2Fiber Rotterdam wants to connect not only residents but also businesses to the network. In some places in the city there is already fiber for businesses. For example, in many Rotterdam business parks. But there are still many businesses in the city that are really waiting for a connection. One example is the BlueCity business location. L2Fiber Rotterdam is currently working with this circular hotspot to look into the possibilities of connecting.

Cooperation municipality and L2Fiber Rotterdam
The construction of this fiber network is a project of the company L2Fiber Rotterdam. The Telecom Act prohibits municipalities from providing such a network themselves. However, the municipality is fulfilling an important role. There has been intensive contact with L2Fiber Rotterdam right from the preparations. The municipality wants all Rotterdam residents to be properly and promptly informed about the work. The municipality also considers it important that L2Fiber Rotterdam leaves the streets tidy for residents after the excavation work. Alderman Kathmann: 'I look forward to the moment when the cables are in the ground. Only then can fiber optics really prove its value to the city.'

This article can also be found in the Internet of Things dossier