CenturyLink says latest FTTP build will accelerate business service installation

CenturyLink said that by reaching over 14,000 multi-tenant units with its GPON-based fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP), the service provider can rapidly scale business service installation in multi-tenant units (MTUs).

In the latest stage of its FTTP buildout, CenturyLink has focused on locations where there’s a density of small- to medium-sized businesses within each MTU, such as office buildings, office parks or even mixed-use business and residential developments.

Vernon Irvin, SVP of sales and marketing for CenturyLink’s Enterprise Business Sales unit, told FierceInstaller that since these buildings are already wired with fiber, they can immediately attract small businesses and even larger businesses that have remote offices.

“Because the buildings are lit it’s a tremendous opportunity to get services turned up more rapidly,” Irvin said. “It’s not like we have to tear the street up because these are ready for business and is an exciting opportunity for major metro offices who want the higher symmetrical speeds for critical applications.”

But what about future FTTP-based business services builds?

By extending fiber to more locations, CenturyLink put itself in a position to pursue new fiber service deals with businesses in other buildings where it does not have fiber yet.

Having built a sizeable fiber network into major metros, CenturyLink is also looking for near-net opportunities. 

These include buildings that are within close proximity to the fiber it has in the ground, allowing it to rapidly scale service to business customers.

“We also have the ability to be able to within 500 feet of that multi-tenant unit to build quickly to expand into other buildings,” Irvin said. “We call that a spider web effect by being able to serve customers that are based on leveraging a center of customers in any MTU building.”

At the same time, CenturyLink’s sales team continues to talk to building owners and business owners in the markets it serves to gauge future needs.

“Our sales professionals in cities today are talking to many building owners, building managers and business owners who are constantly expanding and growing,” Irvin said. “I think it is incumbent upon us to be out there letting folks know CenturyLink is in the fiber business and we want to deliver the most reliable service in the industry.”

Unlike the internet fiber boom of the late 1990s that was based on speculative demand, CenturyLink is installing fiber into buildings where it sees actual demand for service.

While the types of businesses vary by building, CenturyLink is generally finding that the customer base is among three main lines: Very small, medium and very large companies.

“It’s an ongoing focus, but what I like about this it is success-based with customers driving demand,” Irvin said. “This isn’t based on a build it and they will come strategy, but in some cases it’s our ability to come alongside business customers and deliver solutions they are looking for fairly rapidly.”

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