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Municipal FTTH Deployment Snapshot
Photo by Bob Schwartz
Method for connecting fiber:
Field fusion splicing of fiber pigtails
Splicing equipment:
Fitel S121A fusion splicers, S1771 core splicer
Operating Equipment
Central office electronics: Wave7 Optics (now Enablence)
Fiber cables: OFS
Fiber distribution systems: OFS, Tyco
Video headend (or alternative): Scientific Atlanta
Testing equipment: Sunrise Telecom Spectrum Analyzer,
EXFO OTDR, Trilithic TR-2 RF meters
Customer-premises equipment: Wave7 Optics ONTs
Power supply: CyberPower, Alpha
Set-top boxes: Scientific Atlanta
Key Software
B/OSS: Enhanced Telecommunications Inc. Triad
Network management: Wave7 Optics EMS
Softswitch: Sonus (operated by Momentum Telecom)
Network Operation
Central office personnel:
6 (including department management)
OSP personnel: 5
CSRs: 5 (this team also supports 15,000 electric,
water and gas customers)
Trucks, trailers, etc.: 2 bucket trucks, 4 pickups,
1 splicing trailer
Biggest Challenges
Although we built a state-of-the-art fiber network, we
came to realize that most residential customers do not concern
themselves with future applications. They are looking
to replace or upgrade the services they have today. So even
though we built a system capable of cutting-edge services,
it often still comes down to which TV channels you offer
and at what price. Customers are shoppers first.
Biggest Successes
We have been very pleased with the community’s response
to our deployment. We have not only provided an
improved customer service experience at great prices, we
have also stepped up and worked with our area organizations
to help them understand how our FTTH system can
benefit them.
PES established a partnership with the local college to
operate our local access channel, 3PTV. This channel provides
the students at Martin Methodist College with an opportunity
to learn video production and technical editing,
and it provides a valuable and exclusive channel offering
for PES.
Also, we partnered with AT&T to provide a turnkey network
that links all the schools in our county. PES provides
the fiber connection, and AT&T manages the data and technical
support. This allowed the local school district to use
AT&T’s state contract pricing, yet be linked with PES’ fiber
network. BBP
Contact Masha Zager at masha@broadbandproperties.
com if you would like your municipal fiber deployment
to be featured in Broadband Properties.
January/February 2009 | www.broadbandproperties.com | BROADBAND PROPERTIES | 23