Re: Rollup: Small City Municipal Broadband

[Scott Helms <khelms () zcorum com>]

On Mon, Feb 4, 2013 at 4:01 PM, Jean-Francois Mezei <
jfmezei_nanog () vaxination ca> wrote:

> On 13-02-04 15:46, Scott Helms wrote:
>
> > I certainly agree that fiber plant is in general easier than copper plant
> > to maintain.  My main concern is that in this case Jay is considering
> > allowing not only different vendors but different technologies on the
> same
> > fiber plant.
>
> If you are strictly a layer 1 provider, I would assume that you have
> setup properly documented procedures and responsabilities in case of
> faults.

Operationally you're never gonna get here.  Installers are guys making $200
bucks an install whether it takes them 30 minutes or 4 hours.  Most major
operators (all I've worked with) struggle to get their own employees to do
troubleshooting and installs correctly.  We actually had to write software
to ensure that installers are doing basic verification of levels before
they leave home.


> Perhaps the ISP is responsible for debugging their problems and if they
> can show a layer 1 problem, then the city steps in, disconnects the
> strand at both ends and uses its own L1 equipment to test the strand.
>
> If the rules are clear, then ISPs would choose OLT and ONT equipment
> which provides remote debugging capabilities since physical visits to
> the city owned aggregation point will be difficult.

In really small numbers this is OK.  The problem is that there seems to be
a thought that a given network will have more than 4-5 dark fiber
connections and that they will be a part of the pay back.  Getting staff to
even log into the web client of the OLT is generally problematic since the
guys who do installs aren't normally allowed or even capable of safely
using the EMS console.  If they can even get the "right" version of Java
running to get the JIMC working :(




-- 
Scott Helms
Vice President of Technology
ZCorum
(678) 507-5000
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http://twitter.com/kscotthelms
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