Don't forget to dot your I's and cross your T's when planning your next broadband project

1. FIBER-OPTIC CONSTRUCTION
PLANNING 101
Reel of innerduct trailered for installation
Fiber Planning Overview
1. Long-Term Strategic Planning
2. Project Planning & Pitfalls
3. Finance Planning
4. Route Planning, Fielding, RFP
5. Other Misc. Considerations
6. High-Level Planning
7. Project Workflow Example
OVERVIEW
Fiber-optic construction projectscan seem daunting,maybe even
overwhelming, for thosewho have never doneone. Although every project has
its challenges, building outside plantcan be especially confusing for Business
Managers or IT Professionals becausethe projects can be so rare it might be a
once in a lifetime experience. The devil is always in the details– and that’s
typically whereyou will find much ofthe work involved for fiber-optic
construction projects. The real challenges typically involvecrystal balls,
politics, and finances. Planning for a future youcan’t seewell, with others who
can see it no better than you, within theconstraints ofa budget, can create the
challenge ofbuilding thebest fiber network with the money you have.
When taking on ANY project, the first question you shouldask is “what are the
goals”. In the case of fiber-optic construction the better question is “what is
the long-term strategy”. Fiberis differentin the sense that it is costly to
construct, provides servicefor many decades, and has no superior competing
medium on the horizon. Fiber is best upgraded through electronics; faster
optical transceivers and better multiplexing technologies can future-proofthe
medium. It’s difficult to imagine whatthe technology landscape will look like
20 years fromnow but we have seen significant increases in bandwidth needs
in recentyears. This trendisn’t likely to changein the coming decades.
FIRST STEPS
If you are not experienced in planning a project buildingfiberyouwill thank yourselfto find help –someone else with
experience. Although you can rely onthe contractorfor many things, they will be relying on you for guidance as to where and
how you want it built. Leaving it to them will leavethe door opento possible misunderstanding and poorchoicessince their
business is to build what you want –not plan for the future business needsyou have. Nobody will be happy with a poor
solutionthat is virtually a permanent one or at least costly to physically change! Let’s delve into the steps; strategy, planning
methods &pitfalls, finance &regulation, fiber routeplanning,and other aspects ofa fiber-optic construction project.
Step 1: Long-Term Strategy
Although difficult to truly predict, it’s safe to say increasing bandwidthneedswill continue. Some deeperquestions include
whether or not the fiberyou plan to build could be used by other entities, agencies, etc. Fiberis differentthan IT investment
in the sense that it’s outside, accessiblefor sale, lease, or trading. It’s a commodity. In the futureanotherlocalentity along
your fiber routemay decide they wantto hopa ride on your investment. Suddenly you havesomeone to share the cost ofyour
investment. Ifyou planned properly there will be dark fiberavailable to them.
The bottom line to building fiber is doing it right the firsttime. Never, and I say NEVER build a fiber network for only what
you need today. The costdifferencebetween 12strandand 24 strand fibervaries from nothing to maybe10 cents per foot.
Going from 24 strand to 48 strand might be an additional20 cents perfoot. Because multiplexing can be expensive it’s better
to simply buy more fiberstrands and defer the need for multiplexing signals on the fiberuntil it really becomes a necessity.
Installing more fiberstrands while the contractor is building will allow you to forgo multiplexingeven ifother entities are
allowed onto yournetwork.

2. Step 2: Planning Methods &Pitfalls
How I address planning the amount offiber for community networks is by reviewing currentneeds, add the surrounding
potential needs (city, school, county, etc) and double, or nearly double, that. The basis for this “extreme”is the cost of
construction is the highestcost by far. Going froma 24 strand cableto a 48 strand fiber is minimalcomparedthe expenseof
constructing the innerduct and lashing aerial. Doing this all overagain 15 years from now wouldbe the worstoption. Per foot
cost ofinstallingcabledoesn’tchange…contractorschargethesameto blow orlash a cable whetherit’s 24 strandor48 strand
fiber. The added costs arelargerenclosures, termination panels,and moresplicing; coststhat are small compared to boring
and labor. Minimally, plan for 6 strands per siteand placeat least12 strandfiber to thebuilding –then take 6 and multiply it
by the number ofcurrentand future locations you can imagine. This number should be the minimum size ofyoubackbone
for many circumstances.
Com m on Pitfalls:
Pitfalls oflong-term strategies forfiber can be numerous and thesolutionsalmost always involvea lot of money. The most
obviousis lacking enoughfiber down the road to fulfill the needs ofa growing data-hungry world. Feeding moreentities with
growing broadband needs will requiremultiplexing ormore fiber to be built –neitherofwhich is friendly to the wallet! The
worst situation is lacking fiber strands in a small inner duct. The only way to increase yourstrand countis to “rip and
replace”. Connected entitieswill experiencedowntime whilethis happens and coordinating thebest downtimefor all entities
will likely be difficult.
Anotherpitfall concerns wherethe fiberis routed. Being too far from potential cost-sharing entities will posea problem for a
cost-model basedon sharing fiber. Ifyou arethe grouptasked with building a fiber network in your city,the routeshouldbe
inviting to places thatmay wantto connect in the future. Ifyourfiber is too far away from a public school it might be beyond
their fiscal ability to buildto you. It’s a balancing act ofbuilding closeto town where a vast numberoflocations arewhile
stretching your routeoutenough to attract somefuture opportunitiesto sharethe network.
Step 3: Finance & Regulation
Careful consideration for how thefiber is funded when it will be built. If it was paid for through grants or other public dollars,
you may not be ableto sell, lease, ortradeany ofit to certain organizations –blowing up the original idea ofreducing long-
term cost ofownership. There may be furtherregulations at the statelevel for fiber systems provided through a local
municipality so it’s important to understand the landscapeoffunding beforemoving too far into a project with largedreams of
sharing it with everyone. There may also becompetitive issues ifthe system has public dollars involved so it may be good to
set aside a legal budget for any court costs as private industry may decideto take legal actions to discouragethe build. And
certainly don’t plan on using existing facilities owned by privatetelecom; they paid a lot ofmoney for theirsystems and won’t
be interested in letting a competitoruse it ifthere is nothing in it for them!
Step 4: Fiber Route Planning &Other Considerations
Every fiber projectI haveever workedon starts by playing in the “sandbox”. This can be as simple as using GoogleEarth to
draw yourroute – in fact this is a great tool for yoursandbox drawings. It’s easy to use and simple to share thefiles…and free
to everyone. It’s important to play in the sandbox several times to allow input from key stakeholders and stirup ideas about
plans for the future. Once a game plan is set, it’s important to getinto the field and do some validation.
Fielding the routeis nothing morethan validating the routeand collecting important information. One consideration when
planning a route is to avoid main streets in town (ifyou can). Thesestreets are heavy with existing utilitiesand your project
will require repairsto the concrete and asphaltyou’llneed to damage in the process. Certainsituationsmay also require you
to close busy lanes oftraffic…something no town orcity is too excited about. Ifyouneedto connect downtown locations, look
one street over to determine ifthere is a better opportunity there –you can design a lateraldown an alley or buildthe fiber
across a building inside EMT conduitto getwhereyou need to be. Every situation is unique so be inventive and opento ideas
from others.

3. Other Considerations:
It’s also important to identify and design somegood interconnection points in
areas with obvious growth potential. This is more importantin underground
designs since it’s easier and less costly to simply install a vaultor handhole while
doing the construction. These “future” connection points should also include
some thought as to the amount offiber strands to plan for in that area.
Anotherconsideration is how the lateral is fed to the building. The route should
be planned to go to the location whereis it needed – not necessarily where other
utilities are entering the building. The building owner or maintenancepeopleare
your biggest asset to determining thebestway to enterand navigatethrough a
building to the network closet requiring the connectivity.
On that note, always pay attention to thegradeofthe inner duct/conduitcoming to the building. I always preferentering the
building at a higher elevation than the innerduct (notbelow grade). Placinga vaultat the building and going vertical above
grade with a way for water to escapeis a good plan. Don’t trust sealantsalone,it’s neverworth the chance ofwater intrusion.
If you don’tplan this right yourworst day could be the one thatincludes waterin yourMDF!
My final pieces ofadvice areto submit permits early for locations such as railroad crossings. Thesepermits can sometimes
take a good amount oftime and this will hold up installation offiber. Also pay attentionto areas ofpossible wildlife thatmay
be under federal protection; nothing will shut down your projectfaster than crossing any governmentagency!
THE HIGH-LEVEL PLAN
Planning fiber construction is a lot like most otherprojects. Identifying goals and performing some fact-finding is a good
start. To do a proper early-stageplan, you’ll need to go outinto the field to measure and document any obstacles including
bridges, existing utilities, or mountainsofsolid rock and othernatural features. It’s important to collect this information in
order to preparea well-written RFP. As a project manager, this information becomes thebasis formost ofthe answers a
contractorwill haveconcerning the build.
At a high level, I plan in this order:
1. Talk with client, learn the strategy and advise them on improvements
2. Write a Scope ofWork that encompasses that strategy, obtain a PO and start projectplanning
3. Plan the route “on paper” and then field the route to collectdata and identify project issues
4. “Demarc” assessment, typically for the MDF or another network closet to ensurethe locations readiness
5. Data collected from fielding and assessments is used to createmaps and compilea bill ofmaterial
6. A rough estimateofcost is determined based on currentcosts experienced in the industry
7. RFP is written using the collected information and bill ofmaterial for the build, revised until final draft
8. Contractor is selected, contractsigned,kick-offmeeting set, and start date affirmed
9. Periodic onsite construction reviews to ensurespecs are being followed and work is acceptable
10. Final walk-out ofthe project, authorization offinal invoicepayment, and projectclosed
11. Finally, ensure Digger’s registration, any insurances, and OTDR test resultsare complete/provided
FINAL THOUGHTS…
There are many more steps involved in a projectofthis magnitude but I hopeI was able to shed some light on how a fiber
construction project is formed and executed. It’s importantto havean activeperson involved who can dedicateplenty oftime
to answer contractorquestions quickly and keep them moving. A good Project Manager dedicating time to your fiberproject
will go a long way in keeping tabs on progress, issues, budget, and otherlooseends that may otherwiseget lost for someone
who already works at theireveryday job! Often times the cost of a good Project Manageris partially offsetby thesavings
he/she can identify and avoiding some ofthe pitfalls that might otherwisebe costly.

4. Typical Fiber Construction Project Workflow
Presales Engineering & Costing
• Rackspace Evaluation
• Pie num Requirem ents
----------• • Building Entry Detail
• Internal Measure me nts
• Splice Needs
• Aerial/UG Footage
No ...................
•
•
•
•
Vault, Locate Vault Counts
Easeme nt/Permit Conee ms
Aerial - Make-Ready Locations
Splice Needs, Marker Needs
Project Risk Mitigation
Project Management
• Confirm Insurance/Bonding
• Affirm Kick-Off Meeting
• Affirm Project Start
• Retiew RA.Cl per Stakeholder
• Se:upWeekly Status Calls
• Setup Budget,11 rwoice Tra:king
• Setup Issues log, Task
Management (RACI)
Write
RFP Good?
-Ye,._ Issue
RFP
• ---Na---
..
t------No------
Verify Diners Registration
Pay FinalInvoice
OSP Insurance
Maintenance/Emerr. Repair
Ownershi p Transfer
Requirenents
Gathering
Yes