Re: microducts

[Jared Mauch <jared () puck nether net>]

> On Dec 29, 2016, at 4:45 PM, Baldur Norddahl <baldur.norddahl () gmail com> wrote:
>
> Hi
>
> I am planing a new FTTH outside plant deployment. We are going to use microducts but which system is the best? I see 
> many resources describing the options available but few if any will take a stance on which one to choose.
>
> Some of the choices are:
>
> 1) Ducts with larger fixed tubes for direct burial 12/8 mm. Typically 7 ducts in a larger tube.
> 2) Ducts with smaller fixed tubes 5/3,5 mm. Typically 24 small tubes with one larger centre tube for backbone.
> 3) Ducts for direct burial arranged in a stripe side by side instead of in a tube. 12/8 mm ducts. Makes it easier to 
> access the tubes and avoids problems with tubes of different length on the drum.
>
> And many more variations.
>
> I am planing to deploy in an area with the average distance between houses of 10 meters (actually 20 meters but we 
> can serve both sides of the road from one walkway, so that makes it 10 meters average).
>
> I want to support a low level of initial uptake of just 10%. The problem is that most sources assume that I am 
> planing for anything between 100% and 50%. I do expect that we will get more customers than just 10%, but the 
> solution might become too expensive, if I have to pay all costs upfront years before I have any hope of that many 
> customers.
>
> Some people say just put a lot of plastic down because it is so cheap. But it really isn't. I need to put down the 
> correct amount of tubes because tubes are everything but cheap. I also need a system that is easy and quick to work 
> with because labour is very expensive (but also very skilled) around here.
>
> I would appreciate any pointers to articles about this subject.

I can provide you some advice from a local person in my area that is doing this, while homes aren’t of such a nice 
identity of 10 meters, they place a pedestal that has capacity for 96 count splice trays at every 3rd home.  You can 
use something like a flat drop cable to be buried later as that connection.  They may also drill up to the home or use 
a maxi or mini-sneaker type device to directly place the duct in the ground from that pedestal.

The bonus of this type of solution is in the winter months where the ground is frozen you can often leave this cable on 
the ground to be buried at a later date.  I helped a local WISP turn up their first fiber link in the past two weeks 
and this was the strategy they took.

- Jared