The Inside Scoop on micro trenching
Service providers trying to take advantage of new, less disruptive trenching
methods for their FTTH deployments may encounter resistance from
municipal authorities who are unfamiliar with these methods. Here are the
answers to any questions municipalities may raise about micro-trenching.
It’s tough being a municipal manager. Managing roads, sidewalks, bridges, water lines, sewers, power lines, gas lines and buildings faithfully and regulating companies championing every new-fangled technology – all under the banner of economic development – is a demanding job. Managers are pushed and prodded in all directions trying to protect residents’ needs today while enabling economic development to serve their interests into the future. No wonder they approach new methods with caution. Managing the exponential growth of fiber optic networks is one such daunting challenge facing municipalities all over the world. One creative solution that has emerged to dramatically lower the cost of first-mile fiber networks is micro-trenching.
Micro-trenching is a low-impact deployment methodology in which fiber and conduit are inserted into a slot-cut trench less than 3/4 inch wide and between 9 and 12 inches deep – without damaging or disrupting existing infrastructure. In fact, when the trench is properly reinstated and backfilled with a cold asphalt material, it is difficult for the casual observer to see it. The cost savings, speed of deployment and reduction in resources over conventional trenching are compelling.