asked Her Majesty’s Government:

Whether the trial installation of fibre-optic ducting on the A14 for 20 miles between Catthorpe and junction 9 will be a trial of the procedure for installing the ducting or the below-ground termination chambers; and, if neither, what will be on trial. [HL4947]

The trial installation on the A14 is to develop a new telecommunications solution for delivering transmission services to roadside devices. The trial includes investigating a range of technologies and installation practices, including new standards for cable ducting, fibre-optic cable installation, cable jointing and the use of new types of active transmission equipment. The trial aims to deliver a cost-effective telecommunications solution for the all-purpose trunk road network.