Calgary <-> Toronto 100% Canadian Fibre Resiliency on failover

Thu Nov 2 13:25:14 UTC 2017

There are four facts to be aware of here.

1.  Locators are not 100% especially when it comes to fiber.  Databases do not always get updated and maps can have errors.  They can be difficult to locate if they are not mapped because there is very little detectable metal in them.  I have personally been on projects where we hit live power line stubs, gas lines, and comm cables even after reviewing the maps and have locators out.  Records sometimes suck.  The problem has gotten worse with the explosion in the number of carriers,  you only used to have to worry about Bell, power, and gas.  Now you have tons of fiber carriers, telecoms, and cable TV all updating (or failing to update) records.

2.  Not everything is in public RoW, many fiber carriers have cut their own deals with landowners, railroads, etc.

3. Installers take short cuts.  For example, your map and locator might show a very nice 90 degree corner but often if directionally drilled it is going to be a large sweeping turn that may very well leave the RoW.  One side effect of directional boring is that no one really notices if they cut out of the RoW since there is no above ground evidence to cause a complaint.  Installations going to a house or business outside the RoW may show a nice straight line on the map but if that boring rig hits a rock you better believe they will steer around it.

4. Stuff gets moved without proper coordination.  Guys that put in hard lines (pipelines, sewer, water, gas mains) will often move a cable that gets in their way as long as it has enough slack to do so.  They know that the coordination takes time that delays their jobs so the reality is if they have to move a cable over four or five feet, they are going to just do it.

Steven Naslund
Chicago IL

>From: "Clayton Zekelman" <clayton at MNSi.Net>
>To: "Jean-Francois Mezei" <jfmezei_nanog at vaxination.ca>, "Jacques Latour" <Jacques.Latour at cira.ca>, nanog at nanog.org
>Sent: Wednesday, November 1, 2017 4:51:02 PM
>Subject: Re: Calgary <-> Toronto 100% Canadian Fibre Resiliency on failover 
>
>
>
>The fibre optic cables are buried within the RoW, not on private property. 
>
>It is against the law to dig without having utilities located first. 

>At 05:23 PM 01/11/2017, Jean-Francois Mezei wrote: 

>>But along rural roads like the 17, municipalities often are in charge 
>>of a strech of highway, and individual homeowners or businesses have 
>>their driveway to the road and may not call to locate cables before 
>>having fun with their backhoe.

-- 

Clayton Zekelman
Managed Network Systems Inc. (MNSi)
3363 Tecumseh Rd. E
Windsor, Ontario
N8W 1H4 

tel. 519-985-8410
fax. 519-985-8409 