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Construction Update: Spring Plans

Construction Update: Spring Plans

Apr 13, 2022 | Construction Updates

What to expect:  

We have been hard at work to ensure everyone knows that we are bringing your community fiber optic internet! More importantly, we are bringing speeds up to 10,000 Mbps. This means that you will have an opportunity to get internet that is 1000x faster than anything seen in town before!  

To prepare your community for the future, new fiber-optic infrastructure is deeply important. To ensure this massive upgrade lasts decades, we will burry this infrastructure! Unfortunately, even in the best weather conditions, installing new underground infrastructure is hard and dangerous work, here is what you need to know about the project. 

Progress so Far

Our project was only announced 8 months ago, and we have already installed tens of thousands of meters of fiber! It’s officially Springtime, and despite our progress over winter, we still have a lot of work to do! Given our goal for completing Grande Cache’s fiber network as soon as possible, we will be building quickly throughout springtime!

There are  a few things you should know and expect as things warm up in town!  

It Can Get Messy

Since we officially launched our network and began connecting homes and businesses, we already have many businesses and households connected! Progress is going very well, but like all things in our Canadian winters and springs, construction takes longer and can get a bit messy. Spring construction can be difficult as the ground is still wet and is prone to creating creating plenty of mud. Because we are building buried infrastructure under/in wet ground, progress on our new construction will require a bit of a mess to complete properly. Follow our Facebook page to keep yourself updated as we push through this spring to connect you sooner! 

Remediation  

We are building underground construction, which means we dig holes and small trenches for the fiber lines to run down! Although we deploy directional drills and vibratory plowing equipment that reduces the amount of soil turned, we still create a small mess. But fear not, we always remediate anything effected by our work and ensure that it will return to its healthiest form in suitable time.  

Our team will wait for our spring sun to thaw the ground so the soil can properly settle. At that point, we set the earth to final grade and plant new seed for your lawn to regrow to its previous health! It is a small price we need to pay to keep construction moving so we can continue to connect homes and businesses as fast as possible!  

How do I sign up!?  

If you would like to register for service now, check out our world-class products and services HERE! (And remember, you will NOT be charged anything until the service officially begins after installation).  

Visit our Sign-Up page or give us a call at 1-888-CFO-2947 (ext 2, for Sales)

Why We Use Temporary Drops for Winter Installations

Why We Use Temporary Drops for Winter Installations

Feb 28, 2022 | Construction Updates, Our Communities

Temporary Drops for Winter Installations 

We know the wait for fiber internet installation can be tough. After all, you are on the verge of having fast, reliable broadband fiber internet from Northern Lights Fiber, and all the best streaming entertainment the web has to offer. 

Winter adds to the technical challenges of fiber installation. Frozen grounds, shorter days with less sunlight, excessive moisture from melting snow and heavy rains drenching the soil—all of these issues and more can make it exceedingly difficult to bury and install fiber. It’s also a riskier time for our crew of technicians.  

While permanent fiber installation may sometimes be delayed during winter and early spring, temporary drops can help deliver the high-speed internet you’ve been waiting for—even if you’ll have to wait for better, safer weather and ground conditions for final installation with buried fiber internet lines. 

Below we provide answers to common questions about temporary drops and help explain the process installing them so you’ll know what to expect.  

What is exactly is a temporary drop? 

A temporary drop, also referred to as a temp drop, is simply an above-ground fiber internet connection line that provides fiber internet service temporarily to your home until weather and ground conditions are feasible and safe enough to bury the fiber line in the ground.  

What kinds of conditions necessitate temp drops? 

There are two common reasons why Northern Lights Fiber may not be able to bury the fiber and complete installation during the winter and early spring.  

#1: The ground is frozen. 

During winter and early spring, the colder temperatures can make the ground too hard to dig and bury fiber. And just because the temperatures warm up for a few days doesn’t necessarily mean the conditions are improved enough to complete the installation. In general, the ground must be fully thawed at least one foot deep, which can take weeks of 60 degree-plus temperatures, depending on the soil’s physical and chemical composition. 

#2: The ground is too wet. 

The winter and spring can bring heavy precipitation, from heavy snows and snow melts to days of rain. When the soil is over-saturated, it is simply not feasible to install fiber optic lines below ground safely and effectively.  Additionally, burying fiber when the ground is too wet can upset lawns, flowerbeds, trees, and other vegetation—not to mention upset your neighbors and their lawns, too! 

What are the steps to installing a temporary drop? 

After determining that the conditions do not support burying fiber, a temp drop is authorized. Our technicians will then connect the fiber terminal (i.e., the “box” near the street where internet service is supplied to your neighborhood) to your home via a fiber line placed above-ground to your home.  

So instead of burying the fiber in the ground, the temp drop keeps the fiber line above the ground and connected to your home, temporarily, until the buried installation can occur when the weather and other conditions improve.  

The line may run along your lawn and driveway, but don’t worry! Your car cannot damage the line. The fiber line may also cross over your neighbor’s property, but as with other utilities, there is a “right-of-way” that permits this if necessary.  

Is the temp drop line safe? 

Yes! While we don’t recommend you handle the line, it is not dangerous. Fiber technology consists of tiny glass strings that transmit light. So unlike live electrical wires, there is no risk of electric shock.  

However, we suggest that you do your best to avoid the line while tending to yard work or clearing snow. Although the fiber lines are sturdy, snowplows and other equipment and tools can sometimes harm the line, necessitating more technical support—not to mention the inconvenience of losing internet!  

Northern Lights Fiber and Canadian Fiber Optics greatly appreciates your patience as we strive to provide you with fast, reliable fiber internet as efficiently and quickly as possible! As always, feel free to reach out us with any questions or concerns you may have. 

If you would like to sign up to receive installation of our services, call

1-888-236-2947 or click HERE

Construction Update: Winter Plans

Construction Update: Winter Plans

Dec 10, 2021 | Construction Updates

What to expect:  

We have been hard at work to ensure everyone knows that we are bringing your community fiber optic internet! More importantly, we are bringing speeds up to 10,000 Mbps. This means that you will have an opportunity to get internet that is 1000x faster than anything seen in town before!  

To prepare your community for the future, new fiber-optic infrastructure is deeply important. To ensure this massive upgrade lasts decades, we will burry this infrastructure! Unfortunately, even in the best weather conditions, installing new underground infrastructure is hard and dangerous work, here is what you need to know about the project. 

Progress so Far

Our project was only announced 6 months ago, and we have already installed tens of thousands of meters of fiber! And even though it is officially wintertime, we still have a lot of work to do! Internet Service Providers do not usually construct infrastructure in the wintertime because it takes talent, experience, and specialized equipment.  

But since we have all of that, we have decided to keep constructing! But there are  a few things you should know and expect for this winter!  

Slower Progress 

We announced our Valleyview project only 5 months ago, and we already have several businesses and households connected! Progress is going very well, but like all things in our Canadian winters, construction takes a lot longer. Not only is the winter hard on our work force and equipment, but the ground is also frozen. Because we are building buried infrastructure under/in frozen earth, progress on our new construction will slow down. Follow our Facebook page (insert link) to keep yourself updated as we push through this winter to connect you sooner! 

Temporary Drops 

A drop is the fiber that connects your house to our infrastructure. It is possible that we may not be able to construct an underground drop to your house in the wintertime. As such, we will provide a temporary fiber connection and come back in the springtime to make it a fully permanent drop!  

Remediation  

We are building underground construction, which means we dig holes and small trenches for the fiber lines to run down! Although we deploy directional drills and vibratory plowing equipment that reduces the amount of soil turned, we still create a small mess. But fear not, we always remediate anything effected by our work and ensure that it will return to its healthiest form in suitable time.  

Wintertime can lengthen the time it takes for this remediation process to complete; the ground is frozen and we cannot plant new grass seed in the winter. 

Our team will wait for our spring sun to thaw the ground so the soil can properly settle. At that point, we set the earth to final grade and plant new seed for your lawn to regrow to its previous health! It is a small price we need to pay to keep construction moving so we can continue to connect homes and businesses throughout the wintertime!  

How do I sign up!?  

If you would like to register for service now, check out our world-class products and services HERE! (And remember, you will NOT be charged anything until the service officially begins after installation).  

Visit our Sign-Up page or give us a call at 1-888-CFO-2947 (ext 2, for Sales) 

Construction! What to expect with our investment?

Construction! What to expect with our investment?

Jun 5, 2021 | Construction Updates, Why Fiber Optics?

(And r!hat To Expect

Northern Lights Fiber is excited to bring you fiber optic internet, with speeds up to 10,000 Mbps (10 Gigabit symmetrical service!). To future proof your community, these types of speeds and reliability is an absolutely necessity. But it would not be possible with the infrastructure that exists today.

To prepare your community for the future, new fiber-optic infrastructure will be required and we will burry this infrastructure.

If you want to register for service now, check out our world-class products and services HERE! (And remember, you are NOT charged anything until the service begins). 

Click HERE for reasons it’s important to sign up NOW. 

Main-Line

The first part of our construction is called “middle-mile” or “main-line” construction. You will see large equipment of ours, including “hydrovacs”, directional drills, dump trucks, front end loaders, skid steers, and even vibratory plows. Our design in Valleyview dictates that we will be digging in public easement, and most of our design, in the area, will be in back lanes.

There are some places that this is not possible. There may be a few places where our design determines that we will use front lot easement. This means we will have to dig along the curb of your front yard.

The Drop

Having fiber infrastructure will future proof your home for generations to come. And while cities already have this infrastructure, it is very rare for rural communities in Canada.

If you sign up for services during this process, we will also need to burry new infrastructure to your house. We call this “the drop.” We will also install a small box on the side of your house. 

Can I get fiber to my house, even if I don’t want internet?

Yes! We want to future proof your community, and that includes building to as many houses as possible. You can sign an access agreement HERE, and pay a small fee to future proof your house (and very likely increase the property value)!

This will not only be good for your household and local businesses in Valletyview, but real estate studies strongly suggest the increase of property value when having this infrastructure to your rural home. In other words, many people now want to move to a quieter community but cannot sacrifice internet speed to do so. Now, Valleyview will be able to attract them!

If you have any questions, contact us at info@canadianfiberoptics.ca and we can walk you through the process! 

What About My Property?

This is a big private investment to futureproof the Town of Valleyview, and it requires heavy duty construction. We will try to be as respectful as possible to everyone’s property and we will restore all landscaping to the best of our ability, properly backfilling, and replanting grass.

We have invested in specialized machinery to get this job done fast and as discreet as possible, especially when we leave public easement to get to your house. If you have any questions about our proposed route, please call us at 1-888-CFO-2947 (ext 1) or email at info@CanadianFiberOptics.ca

All services such as electric, water, and other utilities are professionally located to prevent damage. If you are aware of any private underground utilities (like underground sprinklers), please let us know at onecall@CanadianFiberOptics.ca

How Long Will it Take?

Our main-line construction in Valleyview will carry on through the spring (and maybe summer) of 2022. And like many big infrastructure projects, the project timelines will largely depend on weather conditions. That said, we should only be on each street for about a week at a time!

Burying the drop to each house will only take about half a day.

What if I Have Questions?

Please call us at 1-888-CFO-2947 (ext 1) or email us at info@CanadianFiberOptics.ca.

How do I future proof my house and get internet that is 100% fiber?

Visit our Products and Pricing page or Sign-Up page! Or give us a call at 1-888-CFO-2947 (ext 2 , for Sales)

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