Comcast outages continue even in areas with PG&E power restored

Wed Oct 16 20:04:44 UTC 2019

After some poking around, I found this gizmo. It says that it can use 
between 1-8 pairs to power it from the co. If there was already a home 
run to the co (which is almost certainly true in my case), it seems like 
that would be a cheaper option? Then you just have one diesel generator 
at the co that charges the batteries.

https://portal.adtran.com/pub/Library/Data_Sheets/International_/I61179918F1-8_1148VXP.pdf

Mike

On 10/16/19 12:09 PM, Jeff Shultz wrote:
> On Mon, Oct 14, 2019 at 4:26 PM Michael Thomas <mike at mtcc.com> wrote:
>>
>> On 10/14/19 4:16 PM, Sean Donelan wrote:
>>> On Mon, 14 Oct 2019, Michael Thomas wrote:
>>>> Of course this is a lot of conjecture on my part... be glad to be
>>>> clued in by folks in know.
>>> An old news story, but telco's usually have backup batteries in their
>>> outside plant, cell towers, etc.  During power outages, they shuttle
>>> small generators between outside cabinets to re-charge the batteries.
>>> Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) use local power, i.e. look for the
>>> utility meter nearby.  There is often a generator plug and battery
>>> cabinet next to the RTU. They aren't powered from the central office.
>> Interesting! And so primitive! So they go to all of the expense of
>> laying fiber, but not power too?
> Note: small local telco experience speaking below:
>
> Telco's tend to have experience with fiber, but probably not the
> construction and transmission of the sort of power plant that would be
> required to keep a bunch of  48V cabinets up and running reliably. We
> certainly don't. Besides, an advantage of fiber is that hopefully the
> copper thieves won't bother it.
>
>   By definition a remote terminal/cabinet is going to be... remote. Far
> more simple to install commercial power, and then haul out a generator
> if the battery string in the cabinet appears to be in danger of
> dropping below about 46v.
>
> We do run some 360v DC at micro-amp levels out to equipment like ONT's
> and remote 12 and 48 port remote VDSLAM's. But that's over existing
> 24-26 ga. plant. Frequently using multiple pairs to avoid excessive
> voltage drop over distances.
>
> Primitive is tested and works.
>