What to Expect

Session 1: “Everything you wanted to know about fiber but were afraid to ask”

Thursday, October 17, 2:00 EDT

Fiber works.  It’s not temperamental, like copper cables or wireless.  However, this is not luck.  Hard science, engineering, and work have gone into making fiber the preferred high bandwidth, low loss communication medium it is today.  

This webinar is fiber-focused and will go into depth around fiber history, mechanical and optical performance, and standards.   It will also demystify the various terms on a fiber specification and talk about how those terms are relevant to the operation of today’s and tomorrow’s electric coop network.

Tip: This webcast has already taken place. Fill out the form on the right to get a video of the presentation.

Session 2: “My fiber cable – the inside story”

Thursday, November 14, 2:00 EST 

The fiber is the network, but the cable is there to protect the fiber.  There are many critical decisions that are made when building a network.  One of those is cable type. This webinar will examine different types of cables used in a typical coop network, from the central office/substation all of the way into the home.  Since one of the biggest decisions of a coop is what cable type to choose, this webinar will also include a deep dive into the pros and cons of lashed cables versus all-dielectric, self-supporting (ADSS) cable. 

Session 3: “Our fiber network – planning for success”

We’ve made the decision to build a network.  Now, what type of network do we build?  This webinar will review the various common types of networks built by electric coops, from the substation to substation networks to fiber to the home networks.  With FTTH Passive Optical (PON) Networks, splitter placement is a key driver behind how the network can be deployed, so we’ll touch on that.  Finally, since 5G wireless is a topic gaining traction and needs lots of fiber to provide its benefits, the webinar will touch on typical 5G network architectures. 

Session 4: “We’ve run fiber down the street.  Now what?” Primarily in-home and MDU focused

The backbone network is built out, and we’re actively building out the distribution network.  The next question is how we bring fiber to the Optical Network Terminal (ONT) in the home.  This webinar will examine various ways to feed ONTs or other optical devices either outside the home or inside the home.  In many coop networks, there aren’t very many Multifamily Dwelling Unit (MDU) buildings.  However, due to recent technological changes, MDU buildings are now some of the easiest to pass and connect customers.  This webinar will also address ways of building out fiber to MDU buildings.  

Speaker: Mark Boxer, OFS - Technical Manager, Solutions & Professional Services

Why OFS?

We support Electric Membership Cooperatives (EMC) to bring high-speed internet to rural areas and communities. Our fiber services for electric cooperatives are positioned to build and deliver next-generation abilities to your customers.

As an original inventor of fiber technology, OFS has a deep understanding of fiber networks and have been involved with utility-based fiber networks for decades. As a partner and participant in large scale FTTH deployments, we know how to efficiently engineer, furnish, and install networks on both small and large scale.

Learn more about our solutions for Electric Membership Cooperatives here.