Fiber work is expected to be under budget

Apr 12, 2016 at 10:03 pm by Observer-Review


Fiber work is expected to be under budget ADVERTISEMENT

Fiber work is expected to be under budget

DUNDEE--The Yates County Legislature received an update on the fiber network infrastructure project after their regular meeting Monday, April 11. The presentation was given by Steve Manning of the Southern Tier Network (STN) and ECC Director of Broadband Services Andy Lukasiewicz, who highlighted the progress being made in the county on the projected $2,956,354 project. Lukasiewicz said he expects the fiber work to come in under the budget by the time construction is complete.
"It looks like it will be $52,000 favorable to the budget by the time the project ends," Lukasiewicz said.
Despite going over budget in both design and construction costs, the group expects to make up the difference in materials, make ready, and path and permit costs. Lukasiewicz noted the reason the design costs came in higher than expected was due to the transfer from Axcess Ontario (AO) to STN.
The entire project is still anticipated to be concluded by September of this year.
The fiber network is intended to allow Internet providers in the network to bring their services to area businesses, who can then link with other businesses on the network. Dark fiber is a type of fiber where several service providers are able to lease fiber strands in one sheath to provide customers with network access. Manning noted the only thing STN provides is the fiber, adding they are not an Internet service provider. He said the mission of STN is to help attract new industry to the region by giving them access to this fiber network.
Phase I of the project includes building fiber from Keuka Park to Penn Yan, then from Penn Yan to Dresden and from Dresden to Geneva. Phase II includes building fiber down Route 14 to Watkins Glen, which would then connect STN to the Axcess Ontario network to the north of Yates County. Phase III of the project is a fiber line from Rushville to Penn Yan, as well as a branch from Dundee to connect with the Route 14 line.
Lukasiewicz said the fiber from Branchport to Penn Yan is essentially complete. He said strand has been placed from Rushville through Potter to Penn Yan, and they will begin working on placing the strand east to the lake sometime this week. The strand includes the metal cable that is bolted to the telephone poles from which the fiber is hung.

$element(adman,groupads,SchuylerRight2)$


$element(adman,groupads,YatesRight5)$


$element(adman,groupads,YatesRight3)$


$element(adman,groupads,YatesRight8)$


$element(adman,groupads,YatesRight15)$

Sections: NEWS 1