A Municipal Fiber to the Home Network for Charlemont Massacusetts
Information about the Charlemont Connect network construction.
The Heath Stage Terrace path preparation project has been awarded to TriWire, the same firm that will be building out our distribution network. This underground installation project is moving forward after much public input and discussion. We expect that this conduit installation project will be completed this summer and fall in advance of our distribution network build.
Comments closedCharlemont has been awarded a USDA Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) of $36,000 to support the purchase of the core Active Components Bill of Materials for the Charlemont municipal fiber-optic network. Combined with the needed passive electronics, this equipment will form the hub of the Charlemont municipal fiber network housed in the Network Equipment Enclosure of the town hall.
Comments closedVerizon crews were spotted on Mountain Road this week doing make-ready work! Although Verizon has not officially “mobilized” crews in Charlemont, they have been spotted occasionally doing some make-ready work as their schedules permit. Every little bit helps! Any acceleration of Verizon’s make-ready schedule, currently expected to be complete at the end of 2020, would directly impact the overall timeline for completion of our municipal fiber network.
Comments closedDanek Excavating from Rowe was awarded the contract for the path preparation project on Warner Hill Road. We will be installing underground conduit through a small section of the road to avoid a lengthy and difficult to maintain aerial service feed from the town of Heath.
Comments closedAlthough Verizon’s make-ready is not officially underway, the company is working in select areas of Charlemont as time allows. Recently Verizon has approved one more of our utility pole licenses ahead of schedule! Because this pole preparation work is driving the overall timeline for the municipal fiber network, completing this make-ready ahead of schedule is the best way to speed up the delivery of service.
Comments closedNational Grid completed make-ready in Charlemont! The work now moves to Verizon to complete the remaining work to prepare the utility poles for fiber-optic cable.
Comments closedObear Construction has completed the electrical work for the Network Equipment Enclosure (NEE) in the basement of the Town Hall. Work to connect the mini-split cooling unit, support the future emergency generator, and connect to the main electrical panel have all been finished.
Comments closedMake-ready is underway at the Long Bridge crossing! National Grid is working steadily preparing the utility path for our final design for crossing the railroad tracks at a public way. This approach will save almost $12,000 annually in lease payments and the costly insurance required by the railroad for utilizing the existing utility path aerial right of way.
Comments closed“Is there any way we can speed up the buildout of Charlemont’s municipal fiber network?”
Citizens, Select Board members, state officials, and the Charlemont Broadband Committee are discussing ideas for accelerating the completion of our 1-gigabit symmetrical fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network service to meet the demands necessitated by the coronavirus response.
With National Grid on track to complete work in June, our schedule is dependent on the completion of make-ready by Verizon. Working with Verizon to reduce their make-ready timeline is the single most effective way to speed up Charlemont’s build-out. There are encouraging signs that some of this work has begun in town ahead of schedule.
Charlemont Broadband has been working hard to ensure that whenever make-ready is completed, even if significantly ahead of schedule, we are ready to go!
Comments closedMake ready work will begin on the Tower Rd. railroad crossing portion of the distribution network this summer under an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Westfield Gas & Electric (WG&E). The crossing, approved by Pan Am railroad last fall, is expected to be completed this summer.
Comments closed
