Multiple Dwelling Units
End-to-end Jetting and Simplified Upgrades Without Operational Disruption
Multiple Dwelling Units (MDUs) are the norm in the EU: half of Europeans live in a multiple dwelling unit, and in cities, almost three quarters live in an apartment.* The EU Gigabit Infrastructure Act (GIA) is now enforced and states that all new buildings and those subject to major renovation works should be equipped with fibre-ready infrastructure.
But delivering fibre-ready infrastructure in MDUs comes with some unique challenges:
- Building access: Getting permission to access a building can be complicated, and requires cooperation between operators, property owners and building associations.
- Building regulations: Strict indoor-specific fire safety standards and requirements are complex, differ across the parts of a building, and vary from country to country. The wrong specification can create compliance issues, redesigns, and costly delays.
- Shared access points: Running fibre through shared spaces can raise residents’ concerns, and they may not allow installation at all. Building owners may require operators to share the same access points and consolidate infrastructure as much as possible.
*Source: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/interactive-publications/housing-2025
Protection, Performance, Peace of Mind
MicroDucts and FuturePath® LSHF from Dura-Line offer significant benefits that can help you overcome the unique challenges of managing fibre service inside an MDU:
- End-to-end jetting and efficient routing: Seamlessly complete home runs all the way from the basement to each unit.
- One-time installation: MicroDucts can be routed throughout a building and populated only at time of service—no cutting into walls and ceilings, as breakout boxes can be used on each floor.
- Easy moves, adds, and changes: Permanent pathways mean there is no need to access the same restricted, confined spaces over and over.
- Spare capacity for the future: MicroDucts are available in bundles, providing multiple pathways for future upgrades.
- Accommodate multiple ISPs: Multi-pathway systems provide physical separation to easily accommodate multiple ISPs efficiently and securely.
- Fire-retardant, halogen-free materials to comply with local and international building regulations. Dura-Line is the only supplier with a product that can be used anywhere in a development, including escape routes.
Key Fire Safety Standards
There are three standards that govern fire safety in buildings. To support your compliance, Dura-Line’s LSHF product range offers:
- Best-in-class B, s1, d0 fire performance against EN 13501
- Halogen free against EN50642/63355
- Twice yearly third-party monitoring by VDE against EN 61386/22
MicroTechnology for MDUs in Action
Space-efficient, fire-rated pathways enable end-to-end jetting and make moves, adds, and changes a breeze compared to direct installation.
Deutsche Telekom
Deutsche Telekom chose MicroDucts LSHF to equip the iconic Brooks on East development in Berlin with full-fibre connectivity.
7/4 mm MicroDucts were routed throughout the building, enabling end-to-end cable jetting all the way to individual rooms within each apartment.
And with Dura-Line’s best-in-class B, s1, d0 fire performance, there was no need to transition between products in different areas of the building. ​
