Case study
The network of the future requires excellent safety and security
"People and devices are increasingly connected, and security is becoming ever-more important. When we think of security, we tend first to think of a safe internet and the protection of data and personal data. For KPN, however, the basis lies in the protection of our network and safety during construction. Safety and security in all their facets therefore have the highest priority.
Due to the accelerated roll-out of fiber, extra measures have been taken to ensure that work can take place safely. This concerns, among other things, the physical safety of the operational staff at our contractors, a safe environment for residents in those areas where we roll out fiber, and of course also the safety of our network itself under construction. We deal with multiple parties during the roll-out, so we need to pay attention to prevent possible damage to existing infrastructure caused by our roll-out activities. In the Program of Requirements (PvE), we have described in detail how our contractors must install fiber safely. The Continuity & Safety team is specifically responsible for guaranteeing agreements with regard to careful construction in the ground. Clear agreements in advance about certifications, agreements with third parties, health & safety, and the environment during the work are essential to enable our contractors to carry out the work safely.
In a playing field with fierce competition, we naturally want to keep up the pace. And if the business wants to speed up, quality and safe working are often quickly under pressure. At the same time, we must continue to monitor our processes surrounding the roll-out and keep a close eye on compliance with, among other things, working conditions legislation and the Center for Regulations and Research in Ground, Water and Road Construction and Traffic Engineering (CROW) guidelines.
“In this playing field, we want to keep up the pace.”
Next to that, we also continue to innovate. A good example of this is KPN's long-term investment in a so-called ZOARG initiative (Careful Construction and Reduction of Excavation Damage). This initiative is a collaboration with the University of Twente to roll out our network even smarter and safer with healthy ambitions.
Fiber connections make the fixed network of the future, but this network will also have to be resilient against cyber threats, due to technological innovations and geopolitical and social developments. The more dependent our digital society becomes on technology and telecommunications, the more we need to be aware of the security risks we run as a result. Public networks and network services, no matter how modern, are vulnerable to espionage, sabotage, failures and (large-scale) disruption. This is also apparent from the Cyber Security Assessment Netherlands and the Dutch Cyber Security Strategy, the latest versions of which the government published last year. The KPN CISO team is working to identify and mitigate security risks in KPN's current network. The CISO professionals do not only focus on today, but also look ahead to tomorrow. This includes, for example, the opportunities and risks of new technologies, such as the Quantum Internet and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), subjects that KPN is already experimenting with in test setups – using the new fiber network – together with partners such as TNO and TU Delft."
