Fiber Network Equipment Commercial Norms

Wed Sep 22 16:55:46 UTC 2021

On Wed, Sep 22, 2021 at 9:29 AM <jray06 at gmail.com> wrote:
> A few of the buildings that my firm represents have the local telco’s fiber distribution and/or repeater equipment located on the premises. My understanding is that when one of these links go down, (we’ve occasionally had to interrupt circuit power to do maintenance in a building for one reason or another), a local engineering tech always comes running to restore the link. The tech has led our maintenance staff to believe that these repeaters are an integral part of the local ring, which fits my understanding.
>
> When a network operator has equipment located at a third party premises, what is the norm for commercial contractual terms regarding the siting of that equipment? Any network equipment on site pre-dates my client’s ownership of the buildings, and they have no record of any agreements or easements governing who is responsible for power, maintenance, liability, etc.
>
> My client has no philosophical objection to having the equipment on site, but he’s asked why he has had to pay to power and cool this equipment for almost 20 years when it serves him no benefit (he is not utilizing that company’s services). I figure some of you may be able to give me an insight as to what is normal and reasonable. Feel free to contact me directly if this message is not suitable for this distribution list.

The equipment is generally there at the invitation of someone who has
purchased services from the operator with the typically verbal
permission of the building owner. It will be removed more or less
promptly on demand, but.... you don't want to do that. When you or a
tenant want to buy their services, getting them to bring the equipment
in is difficult and generally not timely. And having previously
hassled them, it would certainly not come without cost.

The immediate availability of services from the vendor positively
impacts the utility of the whole building. This is a plus for you at
the relatively modest cost of providing some electricity.

The equipment should be battery backed with at least a day's worth of
power. If it isn't, tell them you're doing renovations and can't
guarantee uninterrupted power. Advise them to upgrade or replace the
battery string. What they do beyond that is up to them.

The equipment is likely part of the local ring but if they permanently
remove it, they'll simply splice the fiber removing that stop on the
ring. So it isn't a huge deal to remove it, but it'll be a big deal to
ever put it back. Even if you pay them.

The above primarily applies to the local telephone company equipment.
There are also non-phone company network operators who site things
which are intended to service the surrounding area rather than the
building itself. Those typically have a more formal agreement, either
a rent payment or comped services. The company will be able to produce
that agreement (or at least relate its terms) upon request.

Regards,
Bill Herrin

-- 
William Herrin
bill at herrin.us
https://bill.herrin.us/