Why It Takes Longer To Install Fiber.
When it comes to Internet and television services, you may be used to having your internet service installed a couple of weeks after your order. So why do Wave Rural Connect fiber internet services take so long?
Infrastructure. (A big word for lots of work.) We are running brand new fiber mainline, hardware, huts, and network electronics to bring fiber to our rural and urban members. Additionally, we can rarely use existing communications paths as we are installing on poles we own and along our right-of-way.
Wait, there’s fiber on a pole right by my house! So I can get it next week…right?
Many times what you are seeing is mainline fiber strung as we progress through a territory. This fiber is currently “dark,” meaning no signal, or light, is being transmitted at this time. Just like you build a car by starting with the frame, mainline fiber comes first. The wait can seem like eons when you see fiber strung so close, but it can be weeks or months before your area is ready to order — much less be installed.
The main point of this article is to explain what happens in the AFTER you order and a bit about the fiber installation process. Once the service terms are contracted, the fiber installation process begins. This process happens over 3 Steps.
Step 1: Locating the Best Fiber Path to your Home
Step 2: Running the Fiber to your Home
Step 3: In-Home Install and Activation
Step 1: Locating the Best Fiber Path to Your Home
Once fiber internet services are contracted, the order is sent to our fiber-drop team. A 3rd party 811 utility location company will visit your property to locate and mark public utilities, such as water and gas lines. The best part is, you don’t have to call 811 as it is included in our installation process.
This marking process may include painting marks on your lawn or curb edge. These paint marks will wash away over time, especially quickly on the lawn.
Step 1 Considerations:
- Private utilities will not be marked or located by 811.
- These are utilities, such as lighting, security, sprinkler, propane, and septic systems to name a few.
- You must identify and mark private lines or notify us of their location.
- The 3rd party locates team will not know what path the Fiber Drop crew will take on your property.
- The path is chosen by the Drop Team in Step 2 and is determined based on current utility lines, private line locations, and property features.
Step 2: Running Fiber to Your Home
Our fiber Drop Team will then need to run the fiber from the splice point to the building. There a Network Interface Device (NID) enclosure is placed on the side of your home. Depending on the path the fiber has to take, the team will run the fiber overhead from a pole or underground from an access point in your yard or alley.
Step 2 Considerations:
- The fiber drop time table is dependent on the Drop Team’s schedule.
- It is not required to have anyone home for this installation.
- Please contact Wave Rural Connect at 1.833.4WAVERC if you wish to be home for this exterior install.
- Other issues that may require your attention are aggressive outdoor pets or an area you do not want to be disturbed.
- A Member Service Representative or the drop crew may contact the property owner if any complexities occur that would impact the timeline or your fiber install cost.
- Additional costs on fiber-drop installations are very rare.
- Depending on the method chosen to run fiber to your home, there may be slight disruptions to your lawn (such as a narrow trench to bury fiber).
- The disruption will be closed before the Drop Team leaves. In most cases, lawn disruptions will be gone in a few days.
- Depending on the weather and the soil condition, we may need to come back and finalize the restoration.
- Sometimes, you may notice a tire impression on your lawn. If it is evident that the impression is unlikely to resolve naturally in a reasonable timeline, the Drop Team will come back and take reasonable action to repair the lawn once the soil and weather have stabilized.
- After the NID enclosure is mounted it cannot be relocated without an additional charge.
Step 3: In-Home Install and Activation
Fiber Service Technicians will recommend the best location for indoor network terminal and devices based on the layout of your building. The customer has the opportunity to give final input before signing off on the installation. During this part of the fiber installation process, an entrance hole may need to be drilled from the NID enclosure through the wall into your home. A fiber jumper cable is then connected to an Optical Network Terminal (ONT), which is a specific type of modem for fiber-optic networks. There are two types of internet installations in the home.
Managed Connection Installation:
- A fiber-optic jumper cable
- An upgraded WiFi-capable ONT
- Advanced device management
- Advanced support and troubleshooting
- Any TV or other network equipment will connect to the ONT device or via WiFi
- Phone equipment will connect directly to the ONT device
Unmanaged Installation:
- A fiber-optic jumper cable
- An ONT with ethernet ports.
- Any other TV, network or phone equipment will connect directly to the ONT device
Step 3 Considerations
- A power outlet will be required nearby to power the ONT or any personal router.
- An authorized user 18 years of age or older must be home for this installation.
- While you can use your own router, you must use our ONT modem for the system to work.
- Once your internet service is activated the phone porting (transfer) process will begin.
- We will let you know when to expect the change to occur.
- Porting of an old number usually takes 8-15 days for the previous carrier to release the number.
- A phone cable will need to be run from the Phone 1 or Phone 2 port on the ONT to your telephone.
Regarding Phone-Only Install Fee: A $199 install fee is required on phone-only installations. A portion of the cost to install fiber service is carried in our Internet service packages during the 12-month Internet contract. This phone-install fee is to recover those costs.
