SKSRT
Telephone
Fiber to the Home (FTTH)
Questions and Answers
Why is Spruce Knob Seneca Rocks Telephone (SKSRT)
starting this project?
The current copper telephone lines were installed in the mid-1970s and are wearing out. This has resulted in increased service calls and expense. In addition, increased growth and demand for new services in the SKSRT service area has used up much of the remaining capacity for future customers.
Why are the copper lines being replaced with
Optical Fiber Cable?
Fiber Optical transmission of data signals is far superior to copper wire for these reasons:
- Fiber is a more economical choice in terms of price and ease of use.
- Fiber is a bigger "pipe" than copper and can carry much more data. This increased bandwidth allows telephone, internet, and video signals to be transmitted at the same time.
- Fiber transmission is much quicker, resulting in faster internet connections and video downloads.
- Fiber signals can run much longer distances without degrading or requiring amplification.
- Fiber Optic technology will prepare the SKSRT service area for any data transmission demands in the forseeable future.
What will replacing the existing lines with
Fiber Optic involve?
Fiber Optic cables will installed in the same locations as the current copper lines, either on poles or buried as the case may be. Contractors will need to work toward every service site. The Fiber line to each customer will end at an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) box on the outside of the structure. This is where the optical signal meets the wiring in the home.
What if I lose power to my home?
Telephone signals travelling over copper wire are powered by DC current from the telephone company. Fiber signals are carried by light waves travelling through a glass fiber, so there is no electrical current. A battery installed in the ONT at the home powers the Fiber system for up to eight hours of continuous use in the event of a power failure.
When will this project be completed?
Engineers have finished designing the first phase of the new SKSRT transmission system and contractors will begin to install the Fiber Optic cable in August 2008. This first phase will involve the transmission lines between Seneca Rocks and Circleville and should be completed by late fall. Phase two engineering and construction will include the outlying sections of the service area with completion scheduled for 2009.
What equipment will be installed at my house?
The Optical Network Terminal (ONT) box, pictured on the left, will be mounted on the outside of the house. The optical fiber will end here. From this box cables for telephone, internet, and television will run into the house. A 12 volt battery backup, pictured on the right, will be mounted in the house and will plug into a standard 112 volt receptacle. A cord from the battery to the ONT will provide up to eight hours of continuous use in the event of power failure.