Launching the AssetHub

And it’s been a long time coming!

Author: Rob Leenderts

Over many years this has been an idea, a concept that I knew the industry needed, but perhaps the timing wasn’t right. During my time at Network Rail Telecom looking at asset commercialisation, I was able to test the thinking, technology and processes in a real-world environment, and demonstrate that the concept worked.

During the 2020-21 lockdowns we were fortunate enough to be selected to take part in a DCMS 5G Testbed – the 5GRuralDorset project – to create the demo platform and work with local Public & Private sector organisations in order to map any and all available assets in the Dorset area that could be used to both speed up and reduce costs of deployment of 5G and fibre infrastructure.

We ended up doing rather well, mapping:

  • 18,000 metres of Public Sector duct network
  • 1,400,000 metres of private sector fibre network
  • 5,000 public sector sites & buildings
  • 3,500 “5G ready” streetlamps
  • Over 60 mobile masts

Further work on the project will include:

  • NBioT coastline sensors
  • Other national asset datasets

But mapping assets is only part of the solution – the beauty of AssetHUB is that it standardises access to these assets, and manages the full Enquiry, Quote, Order and Contracting processes – so that organisations wishing to re-use an asset can do so in a standard way, with full audit trail.

A common issue amongst ISPs, MNOs and other telecoms companies is that the Public Sector is often seen as being difficult to deal with – each Public Sector organisation is different, with different challenges, approvals, sign offs and processes. This is not their fault – allowing their assets to be used by others is not a core skill or even a high priority…..but they could hold the key to unlocking the social and economic benefits of asset re-use by speeding up deployment, and reducing the costs of digital infrastructure rollout. Often, the Public Sector organisation has poor data, data stored in different applications – or even no data at all for some assets.

The AssetHUB helps to resolve these problems by:

  • Linking to existing asset databases, or acting as the primary asset database
  • Storing relevant attributes and geospatial data for each asset
  • Matching these assets to standard telecommunications “products” that have agreed specifications and service levels
  • Following a standard set of processes and using central platform sign offs and approvals.
  • Creating a marketplace that brings asset buyers and sellers together in a standard way

The result is that the industry has one process to follow, no matter who the asset owner is……and asset owners can quickly and easily make their assets available to others in a standardised way.

This helps generate huge benefits – it can speed up deployment of digital infrastructure, reduce costs and generate much needed revenues or socio-economic benefits for the asset owners.

The AssetHUB also provides a way of dealing with the Access to Infrastructure requirements – a legal obligation to share assets.

And if you’re looking to respond to DCMS’ Project Gigabit – AssetHUB provides a solution to the Wholesale Access of the physical assets and connectivity, including backhaul.

In early 2021 we created a new company, The AssetHUB Ltd, to take this concept forward. Now 100% owned by The Hubbub Group, we bring a range of Wholesale Open Access solutions to the market – including a Wholesale Broadband platform from its sister company, The BroadbandHUB.