In-building fiber for 316 homes in Munich's Olympic Village

Munich's Olympic Village is a landmark. Built for the 1972 Summer Games, it is still a living neighborhood with protected, instantly recognizable architecture. That heritage also makes it hard to modernize. When network operator PŸUR set out to bring fiber to 316 homes across the complex, the question was easy to ask and hard to answer: how do you connect a large, dense building efficiently, cleanly, and in line with fire-safety rules?

A note for readers outside Germany: this is an NE4 project. In German fiber terminology, NE4 is the in-building or Multi-Dwelling Unit (MDU) network that connects individual homes inside a property, while NE3 is the street-level network that passes them. Getting fiber to the curb is one job. Getting it into every apartment is another.

Like many buildings from the 1970s, the Olympic Village pairs iconic design with dated digital infrastructure. On earlier projects, PŸUR ran a separate cable from each apartment down to the basement. That method is simple to install, but it does not scale. Every single cable needs its own fire seal, which drives up cost and labor, and later changes get complicated. For a building with 316 homes and one central riser shaft, running individual cables was not a workable plan.

The Hexatronic solution: duct infrastructure with preconnectorized cable

To keep the work efficient and easy to expand, the project is built on a continuous duct network running through the building. The main riser uses HexaSpeed Inhouse nano bundle tubes (12x3/2.1 mm), with at least one microduct reaching every floor. Each floor has a distributor fitted with LC/APC pigtails and PLC splitters (1:16 and 1:2), which serves the homes on that level.

From each floor distributor, a preconnectorized four-fiber Stingray air-blown fiber cable is blown down to the basement and spliced there. To reach each home, a second pre-connectorized four-fiber cable runs straight from the floor distributor into the apartment. No splicing happens on the floors themselves, which saves time and cost.

The Olympic Village project shows what this approach delivers:

• A clear, tidy layout. One duct route replaces a tangle of individual cables.
• Simpler fire sealing, because only the duct run passes through each barrier.
• Room to grow. Only homes with a signed contract get connected right away. The rest can be added later, with no extra fire sealing and no new vertical cabling.

What makes the Hexatronic system stand out?

A few details set the setup apart:

• Compact build. HexaSpeed Inhouse nano tubes measure just 3 mm or 5 mm across, so they sit discreetly on the surface or in tight channels and make use of risers that are already crowded. The slim Stingray cable measures 1.1 mm at 4 fibers and 1.6 mm at 24 fibers, so it blows neatly into those tubes.
• Fire-safety compliance. When combined with Kolektor fire-sealing systems, the solution carries a fire-safety assessment, allowing use in all building classes and special structures. It also permits installation in escape routes without large, costly fire-protection ducting. Simple 3 cm metal channels do the job instead, which helps in existing buildings where cabling often runs on the surface through stairwells.
• Pre-connectorized cable. Stingray can be ordered pre-connectorized on one end, on small cardboard spools in 25-meter lengths, so there is no splicing in the apartment. That means less mess, no fiber offcuts, and faster work, since the cable is plugged in and blown from top to bottom.
• Space-saving install. With the handy cardboard spools, a compact ABF blowing gun, and a small compressor, Stingray can often be blown or pushed all the way to the basement with little or no compressed air. That keeps the time in each apartment to a minimum.

The Olympic Village project is a clear example of how duct infrastructure and preconnectorized cable make in-building fiber scalable, cost-effective, and fire-safe, even in a large and sensitive building. Plan the route once, connect homes on demand, and keep the door open for every unit that signs up later.

Planning an in-building project?

New build or existing property, we can help you find the right in-building fiber solution. Get in touch to explore the portfolio and start with a partner who plans the whole rollout end-to-end. We look forward to hearing from you.

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