FTTH Customer Information
2010 Fiber to the Home Construction
NEIT is committed to providing customers with the highest quality service available. To improve quality and allow for future advanced services, the Company will be constructing a Fiber to the Home network within the communities of Luana, Farmersburg and St. Olaf. A NEIT approved contractor will be doing a portion of the outside plant construction, while NEIT staff will perform the balance of the upgrade.
Why Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH)?
There are several advantages to investing in a Fiber to the Home network. Fiber will allow NEIT to keep up with the ever increasing demand for bandwidth. The rising cost of copper has made fiber a more cost effective solution. Voice and data transmissions over fiber are crystal clear and less susceptible to interruptions caused by outside sources. The enhanced network will also allow NEIT to offer new and innovative services as they are developed.
The project will occur in three steps:
• Step 1 - Summer 2010
A NEIT representative will visit you to perform a survey of the home to determine the best location for the Optical Network Terminal (ONT) and battery backup equipment. The survey will also include evaluation of the property to plan for routing of buried fiber optic cable.
• Step 2 - Summer-Fall 2010
Outside construction will take place. This includes burying the new fiber optic cable throughout the community and installing the Optical Network Terminal (ONT) on the exterior of each home or business.
• Step 3 – Winter 2011
Customer cutover will occur. This process will move your connection from the existing copper cable network over to the new fiber-optic network.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Fiber to the Home?
Fiber to the Home (FTTH) is a technology that uses fiber optic cable instead of copper cable that can be used for the delivery voice telephone service, Internet and digital television to your home or business. Fiber optic cables have the capacity for a significantly higher bandwidth delivery of data, which is becoming a necessity in today’s world.
Is there any cost to me for having FTTH installed at my premises?
The cost of construction is borne completely by NEIT.
How will the upgrade benefit me?
FTTH technology will open a whole new world of superior quality voice and data services to you and your community. With the increased bandwidth it provides, features such as video, home monitoring, and increased Broadband Internet speed may be possible. A recent study has also determined that being fiber-connected may add to the value of an individual dwelling.
Will equipment be installed at my premises?
Yes. The Network Interface Device (NID) you have will be replaced by a slightly larger Optical Network Terminal (ONT). The ONT converts the optical signal from the fiber to the electrical signal required by the telephone. An indoor unit will contain the power supply and battery backup for the electronics. This unit powers the ONT and requires a constant electrical connection. Typically, the electronics use 0.001 KWH per month. Modems will no longer be necessary for Internet service.
You will be contacted by a representative of NEIT to schedule a time to do a site visit to determine the installation location of the ONT and battery backup inside the premises.
What happens if the electricity temporarily goes out?
A backup battery pack is installed as part of your fiber infrastructure in a box on the inside of your home. If you lose power, the battery will run for a minimum of eight hours and uses very low power when charging.
Will burying the fiber-optic cable damage my lawn?
The cable will be buried one of two ways, depending on the layout of your property; direct bury or boring. Direct bury will be used when there are few obstructions between the distribution point and the ONT. Direct bury leaves a very thin trench which will close by itself with time. Boring does not disturb the surface of the ground and is used when crews must avoid things such as sidewalks, outbuildings or gas lines. Should any damage occur during construction, NEIT staff or the contractor will return the property to its original condition prior to construction.
If you have any questions regarding this information or others relating to this project, please feel free to contact the business office at (563) 539-2122.
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