Last updated on March 19, 2021
Charlemont’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!
The fiber path to a home or business will typically follow your existing electrical utilities from a fiber ‘tap’ on the street or road to the outside of the building. This path can be overhead, underground, or a combination of both.
An overhead installation brings the fiber from a tap on a pole by overhead fiber-optic cable and a Network Interface Device (NID) is attached to the outside of your building. This is the easiest type of installation and the subsidy will cover these installations completely unless the home or business is a long distance from the distribution network, such as a long driveway.
Underground service or service that is a mix of underground and overhead brings the fiber from a tap on a pole or pedestal to the home or business. Because the specifics of each location are unique, the installation cost and complexity vary, and for these homes or businesses, the exterior installation process has two-steps:
1. An hour-long consultation appointment with a technician will be scheduled to discuss a path for bringing fiber from the street to your home or business. This will include an evaluation of conduit reuse versus installing new conduit and discussing any concerns about the determined path. No construction will be scheduled without agreement on the path and cost. Because construction must be done while the ground is not frozen, the consultation and construction schedule must be complete in the warmer months, even for service that is not expected to ‘light up’ until winter.
2. After the consultation, routes will be marked for DigSafe and a time will be arranged for a crew to do the work and attach the Network Interface Device (NID) to the outside of your building.
Whip City Fiber provides this informational graphic detailing the exterior installation to connect your home or business to the municipal fiber network. Contact WCF or Charlemont Connect to learn more about the details of your location.
