A Municipal Fiber to the Home Network for Charlemont Massacusetts
Curious about the equipment that will be installed in your home or business to support Charlemont’s fiber-optic service? A board with samples of the equipment included with an installation remains on display in Avery’s store’s front window through the end of August.
Comments closedCharlemont’s municipal fiber network, Charlemont Connect, is now serving over 50 customers since its late July launch! Homes and businesses are eligible to receive service if they are located in the village west of the town hall and convenience store through to Zoar Outdoor, including Warfield Road, Riddell Road, High Street. East Hawley Road and South River Road.
Comments closedThe interior installation of your municipal fiber-optic service will require some preparation in your home or business. The customer is expected to provide a regular 110 volt AC electrical outlet at the optical network terminal (ONT) and the desired router locations. The ONT is typically installed near your electrical panel but installation teams will work with you to determine a suitable location. It is recommended that a battery backup for the ONT and the router is provided to allow for service in the event of a power outage. This might be an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) or it could be a connection to a backup generator.
Comments closedCharlemont’s first fiber service area, FSA 01, is lit up and connecting customers! Amazing Internet is here!
Comments closedCharlemont has begun serving beta customers and testing has begun! A few issues have been identified and are being corrected in the installation process and network operation. As soon as the identified issues are resolved, scheduling for general installations for the first fiber service area will begin.
Comments closedCharlemont Connect is has created a network construction status page to allow for an at-a-glance view of the municipal fiber construction in each fiber service area (FSA). The FSAs are linked to a description of the areas of town that are contained in that FSA. The construction stages are linked to a description of each of the steps needed before service is available. Each stage for each FSA will show one of four statuses: Complete, In Progress, Not Started, and Blocked.
Comments closedThe validation of FSA 01 continues to move ahead and Charlemont anticipates acceptance of the network during the week of July 19, barring issues uncovered during the final network acceptance. Charlemont has selected and Whip City Fiber has scheduled six to eight beta users for installation at the end of next week. These beta testers will ensure the quality of the service and work with Whip City Fiber to correct any identified issues before installation is open to subscribers. The beta phase is expected to be a week to 10 days, moving general installations into early August.
Comments closedThe consultations for locations with underground utilities are winding down. Charlemont homes and businesses must express interest in the municipal fiber service with Whip City Fiber to be contacted for an appointment. Sign-up today to get an underground installation estimate!
Comments closedSplicing is complete in Charlemont’s first fiber service area (FSA), the fourth and longest step in the construction process! Splice teams will move from FSA 01 east into FSA 05, where the fiber and MST construction are close to completion awaiting some remedial make-ready, and then onto FSA 04. The network hub is also seeing splicing activity as TriWire prepares for the testing and validation of the fiber connections to each location.
Comments closedEvery house, apartment, mobile home, and business in Charlemont is encouraged to sign up for world-class municipal fiber-optic broadband service coming to locations in FSA 01 in July. Renters can get the full installation subsidy of up to $1,400 with permission from the landlord when committing to a year of service. Non-resident landlords qualify for up to a $1,000 subsidy per rental unit for an exterior-only drop without the requirement to take service, making it free for most properties. The interior installation, a $450 value during the construction period, requires a commitment to take service for 12 months.
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