[Davisgig] what about overhead fiber?

Braden davisgig at dabrado.net
Tue Jul 23 23:02:53 PDT 2019


Hi,

The BATF's Broadband Feasibility Study Final Report includes some
information about why fiber installed along with the overhead powerlines is
probably infeasible.  I've given a link and quoted it below.

  - Braden


http://documents.cityofdavis.org/Media/CityCouncil/Documents/PDF/CityCouncil/Broadband-Advisory-Task-Force/Documents/Broadband-Feasibility-Study-Final-Report-2018-04-03-reduced.pdf

On page 42:

Issues with Aerial Fiber

There is an extensive aerial and pole network within the city for power and
other communications. The use of poles is regulated by both the FCC and the
state and rules are generally set up for new providers to be able to access
these poles. However, in practice there are many other issues that may make
it not feasible to construct an aerial network.

  1. Pole Attachment Fees: Anyone that attaches to poles must rent space in
     the form of attachment fees.

  2. Access: Although regulations guarantee access to a pole, timely access
     may be a large issue. There are regulations regarding time requirements
     for pole owners to respond to requests and a builder can even build
     without permission if enough time passes. The main problem is making
     sure that the pole is in a condition to be attached to which is
     discussed below.

  3. Placement on Poles: There are regulations about where fiber can be
     placed on poles and how it can be attached. These issues involve ground
     clearance, separation from other services, separation from power, and
     attachment to the pole. Field observations noted that much of the
     aerial infrastructure currently in place does not comply with existing
     regulations.

  4. Make Ready Costs: Many of the poles were not in a condition to be able
     to attach fiber today. This is due to a number of issues such as pole
     condition, clearance, tree trimming, etc. This would require extensive
     work to establish suitable conditions to attach a new fiber network to
     these poles (also referred to as make ready costs). These costs must be
     borne entirely by the new provider. There would also be substantial
     time added to the project as existing providers would need to form new
     agreements to move up or down the pole to make space for new fiber.
     These make ready costs would easily offset any savings.

  5. Fiber in the Power Space: One way to work around some of the issues
     with other providers and their attachments is to locate fiber in the
     power space. Fiber cable is nonconductive and can safely be located
     near power lines with some additional installation requirements. The
     downside of this is that any technician who works on the fiber must be
     certified for high-voltage work. Technicians with this certification
     are typically paid far more than other similarly trained technicians.
     The fiber networks around the country located in the power space are
     typically owned and operated by electric utilities, so they already
     have technicians and equipment qualified to work in this space.

  6. Regulations: Due to California General Order 95, a load study would be
     required on each pole; this would add significant cost to an aerial
     network. Additionally, California Rule 20 promotes undergrounding of
     utilities by requiring providers to annually locate funds to place
     overhead facilities underground. These are clear efforts by the state
     to promote undergrounding of utilities. The city has significant public
     space and right of way areas that would make buried fiber much easier
     than aerial fiber from a regulations perspective.

Field observations quickly determined that the existing poles in Davis have
a multitude of issues. The make ready costs alone would drive up costs
dramatically. These poles are also owned by others and would likely require
leasing fees in addition to make ready costs. Engineering costs would be
significant as a Pole Load Study would be required for nearly every pole in
the city. These costs would likely place aerial construction at or above the
cost of a buried network. The make ready costs, regulations, and higher
reliability of buried fiber has led us to plan for an all-buried network.


On Tue, Jul 23, 2019 at 01:45:23PM -0700, Larry Dieterich wrote:
> I’d like to ask this group for some conversation.
> 
> This is a genuine question borne of ignorance.
> 
> What are the obstacles or advantages to bringing fiber to the home along
> the ubiquitous overhead power lines?
> 
>  - Larry



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