Challenges and Solutions: What is OSP Fiber Network Design?
Fiber optic internet, the backbone of modern connectivity, is crucial for meeting the increasing demands of today's digital world. Americans rely on internet for their jobs, participation in school and access to healthcare, yet roughly 30 million Americans lack access to broadband internet. The 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal targets this issue, channeling $65 billion into the expansion of reliable high-speed internet access across the U.S. and providing a unique opportunity for businesses to help our communities bridge the digital divide. We are among the thousands of companies in the U.S. who are working to expand broadband access in America, offering innovative solutions to the internet service providers (ISP) and engineering firms who are building fiber optic systems!
What is Fiber Internet?
Fiber optic cables, which are made of thin strands of glass or plastic, transmit data as pulses of light. This data can be transmitted over long distances without signal loss, providing an exceptional method for delivering data like high-speed internet and telecommunications to homes and businesses. Before fiber, we used copper wires to transmit data across the world, but fiber optic systems are exponentially cheaper and much more efficient, positioning the technology as a key piece of our global network. As our reliance on the internet and digital services grow, so does the need for robust fiber optic networks.
When an internet service provider (ISP) magically connects your tv, computer or phone to the internet, they do so in one of two ways: wireless connection like 5G and satellites or wired connection like fiber. Although cellular technology is fascinating–requiring the coordination of cell towers, satellites and routers to beam a signal to your device–it is not the focus of this piece. Wired connection requires ISPs to physically connect their central office to the user's endpoint in what is known as fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP), or fiber-to-the-home (FTTH). The result is a vast network of equipment and cables running underneath our feet, above our heads and across the oceans.
How are Fiber Networks Constructed?
A flowchart illustrating the OSP fiber design and construction process.
So how is this vast network installed in the first place? When ISPs decide they want to install fiber in an area, they undergo a complex planning process to determine which routes are optimal for OSP installation and whether the cables need to be installed through burial (underground) or above ground (aerial). Burying lines involves laying fiber optic cables in trenches dug into the ground. The cables are then encased in protective conduit to shield them from environmental factors and remove them from the visual clutter of overhead wires. However, digging trenches and burying cables is expensive and time-consuming, especially in challenging terrain or densely populated areas.
Aerial construction is a more efficient process, though challenging in its own right. Rather than burying cables, they are strung along existing utility poles, requiring the OSP network designers to create comprehensive plans to appease environmental and regulatory constraints. One of the first steps in this design process is to determine the locations of existing utility poles, their conditions, and whether attachment is currently viable or if it will require additional resources like moving existing wires or changing out utility pole. This is known as an OSP distribution make ready engineering assessment and it provides firms with an overview of which routes are most viable for attachment and what work is required before installation. However, traditional methods for achieving these designs are time consuming and expensive. Fielders must gather utility pole data across large and sometimes hard to access areas, the data must be processed, and designers are required to assess each and every pole in an area or along a route. As a result, designing OSP fiber optic systems can be a hindrance on achieving overall project goals.
Our Solutions for OSP Fiber Network Design
A Red Yellow Green deliverable shows the make ready status of every pole and midspan in a city.
At Vulcan Line Tools, we offer solutions that allow FTTP/FTTH network designers to create their plans on time and under budget. We use our software, Azmyth™, to determine utility pole locations and heights, attachment points, and midspan heights, providing our customers with highly accurate make ready assessments. If a pole requires power make ready, we label it red, if it requires comm. make ready, we label it yellow, and if it needs no make ready, we turn it green! We offer this “Red Yellow Green" assessment at an extremely affordable rate so communication companies can start designing without breaking the bank.
As the push to expand fiber internet continues, we are excited to offer a novel solution to the complex process that is OSP network design. We work with fiber companies across the country to help connect our communities with the high-speed internet they need, and we are proud to be a key player in this transformative effort.