A Municipal Fiber to the Home Network for Charlemont Massacusetts
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 closedIn December 2018, Charlemont citizens voted to establish a broadband fiber to the home (FTTH) network. Since then the Broadband Committee, our partner Westfield Gas and Electric (WG&E) and town officials have been working together to make this a reality. Much has been accomplished, and many exciting milestones will happen in the next few months, culminating with our sign up campaign in early 2021.
Many thanks to Mary Ellen Banks and Valentine Reid for preparing these timelines for display at Charlemont’s All Town Meeting held at the Charlemont Fairgrounds on Sunday, July 26 at 1 PM.
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 closedCharlemont Municipal Fiber Network
Selectboard Status Report
July 9, 2020
Summary
National Grid has completed make-ready. Verizon has approved two licenses (out of 17) but the estimated final completion date is still December 31, 2020. This is the main schedule driver. Based on this date, we anticipate starting construction of the distribution network in April, 2021. We plan to complete four “path preparation” projects this summer to be ready to install the distribution network: Tower Road, Warner Hill Road, Heath Stage Terrace and Hawk Hill Road. Construction of the network equipment room is nearly complete; electronics could start being installed later this year. So far, the project remains on budget. We are planning for town borrowing in FY21, although we plan to delay the borrowing as long as possible to reduce the cost to the town.
National 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.
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