MILAN -- Pirelli Telecom Cables & Systems has been awarded acontract for the latest addition to its Rapier range of “micro-sheath”optical fibre cables by Urband, the joint venture between Thames Water and186k, the telecoms business of Lattice Group.The Rapier 432-fibre cable is the most recent development in Pirelli’shighly successful Rapier family, which offers fibre counts from 48 throughto the new 432-fibre cable design. They incorporate Pirelli’s unique highperformance self-coloured Neon® singlemode fibres and the latest dry fillingtechnologies.In what is the world’s first installation of this unique, high-specificationdesign, Urband is installing the Rapier 432-fibre cable as the core of itsnew optical broadband network, currently being rolled out within ThamesWater’s existing sewer infrastructure.Stephen Chivers, Urband’s Operations Director, said: “The new Rapier cablewill form the backbone of our network. We chose Pirelli for its pedigree,its extensive portfolio of optical passive network solutions and theflexibility this particular cable gives us for the future in supportingdifferent types of network infrastructure and customer applications.”Pirelli Cables and SystemsUrband Ltd.