A Municipal Fiber to the Home Network for Charlemont Massacusetts
Information about the Charlemont Connect network construction.
The distribution network construction continues across three fiber service areas (FSAs). FSA 01 is nearing completion with splicing continuing intermittently as a technician is available. FSA 05 has strand and fiber installed throughout most of the area and will continue with the installation of MSTs. FSA 04 has strand in many areas and fiber in some locations.
Comments closedCharlemont has reached a new milestone with over 300 subscribers committed to taking service! Subsidies to cover the one-time installation cost of each location are available to all who subscribe during the construction period currently expected to continue through 2021.
Comments closedTriWire crews have announced plans to begin work on the ‘big easement’ in FSA 05 on April 19th. This utility easement runs for about a mile through the woods behind homes on Route 2 and Burrington Rd. Fiber teams will access the area largely on foot and install the strand and fiber by climbing each utility pole. Please give these hardworking crews a socially distanced word of thanks if you see them in this difficult stretch of the network construction!
Comments closedCharlemont’s distribution network contractor, TriWire, has announced the beginning of splicing in FSA 01! Due to shortages of these specialized crews, splicing resources have been difficult to schedule for area projects and Charlemont’s work has begun ahead of expectations. Give a socially distanced thank you to these crews for this continued good work!
Comments closedDoes your home or business have underground utilities or some combination of underground and overhead lines? Over 28% of all Charlemont locations fall into this category and well over half of these locations have not yet subscribed for service! Throughout the month of April, volunteers will be reaching out to owners and occupants of homes and businesses served with underground utilities to encourage sign-ups with Whip City Fiber, Charlemont’s selected service provider. These exterior installations must be done in the warmer months and have a multistep installation process.
Comments closedAwaiting available splice teams in Fiber Service Area 01, TriWire has been working in FSA 05 and FSA 04. Starting with the Route 2 portions of these FSAs to avoid seasonal traffic, these construction teams have been focusing on the paved areas of both FSA 05 and FSA 04.
Comments closedTriWire crews have completed the first three construction steps in FSA 01- hanging string, attaching the fiber-optic cable, and installing an MST for each location to be served! This accelerated effort has completed the major work in the traffic calming area ahead of the resumption of the DOT construction this spring!
Comments closedCharlemont’s municipal fiber network requires a one-time installation to connect your home or business to the world-class gigabit internet service provided by our partners Whip City Fiber (WCF). The details of the exterior installation and its costs are different for each location. Charlemont is offering up to $1,400 in installation subsidies during the limited network construction period when you sign up for a year of service. Sign up today!
Comments closedBefore any homes or businesses can be connected, six steps to be completed to “light up” each of the five fiber service areas (FSAs) in town. For each FSA, our distribution contractor, TriWire, attaches strand, hangs fiber, places MSTs, splices all of the fiber-optic cables together, tests each fiber, and validates the whole unit before it is ready for installations to begin.
Comments closedCharlemont Municipal Fiber Network
Selectboard Status Report
March 7, 2021
Summary
Network construction is underway and the essential work in the village center has been completed to alleviate conflicts with the DOT traffic calming project, which will be resuming soon. The subscription website is operational and we are encouraging all residents to sign up so that WhipCityFiber can plan the installation schedule for the summer. There will be a virtual information session on March 16. Sign-ups are currently at 20%, mostly through word-of-mouth. The project remains on budget. WhipCityFiber is recommending a “safe” schedule with FSA01 (the first fiber service area) lighting up in July and the other FSAs following at two-month intervals. The town is working with WGE and TriWire to try to accelerate this schedule if possible. Currently, the lack of fiber splicing and testing crews seems to be the bottleneck.
