APPARATUS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS CABLES

An apparatus 100 comprises a free-standing base 120, a pair of supports 130, each of which is suitable for winding a telecommunications cable therearound such that the pair of supports are suitable for forming a figure-of-eight flake 110 across the pair of supports and an engagement formation 140 for engaging the pair of supports to the base so as to extend from the base. Each support 130 may comprise a plurality of posts or a cylinder (160 figure 4a). The supports 130 may be locked to the base with a locking mechanism and the engagement formation 140 may comprise a pivotable joint such that the posts can collapse to a common point so as to reduce the envelope of the posts (figure 3a). The engagement formation 140 may comprise an urging member urging one of the supports 130 away from the other support 130. A release mechanism may allow the supports 130 to detach from the free-standing base 120 and the free-standing base 120 may comprise two separate portions connected by a hinge.