SiFi Networks has completed the first phase of a $32 million fiber optic network in Saratoga Springs, New York.
Founded in 2012, the company is privately funded to build and operate citywide open access fiber networks across the United States. It is currently working with its delivery in more than 40 cities. It offers an open access business model that allows multiple Internet service providers to offer a variety of services on its network, bringing competition to broadband services.
In Saratoga Springs, the city's Department of Public Works issued permits in late May to allow contractors to begin work. Crews placed fiber optic microtunnels (smaller sized conduits used to hold fiber) as well as fiber optic cables in some greenfield rights-of-way.
SiFi used microtrenching, a technology that lays fiber in narrow trenches just 12 inches underground to minimize damage to roads and trees.
In Saratoga Springs, crews make a narrow cut in the green space to lay fiber optic microducts. Workers then restored the space, taking extra precautions to protect the city's trees.
"We worked closely with the city's arborist to ensure that the trees located in the green space were not harmed during construction," said Robbie Heaps, vice president of quality assurance, environmental, social and corporate governance for SiFi Networks. "A waterjet machine with a vacuum was used to carefully excavate the root system, creating an underground pathway for the installation of the fiber microtubes without disturbing the trees."
Lat Long Infrastructure crews completed the first phase of work last week and will pause efforts to improve traffic flow during the summer tourist season and allow city officials to review the latest construction techniques and building methods.
"For years, we have been working with community and city leaders to make this dream a reality," the vice president said. "Saratoga Springs will be the first city in New York State to have a full fiber optic network and the first open access network here."
The all-fiber network will deliver Internet speeds of up to 10 Gbps and has the capacity to handle surges in Internet traffic.
The Saratoga Springs FiberCity network will be available to every home, business, multi-family residence and institution in the city.
When Phase 2 of the project launches after Labor Day, the majority of the network will be built in the greenfield right-of-way, while a smaller portion will be built underground on city streets (hardscape) at the edge of the roadway. In these cases, a miniature trencher will be used to cut a narrow cut in the roadway where the fiber optic cable will be buried. Workers will restore the roadway immediately after installation.
"People tend to be curious about what's being built nearby. We met with dozens of residents during the first phase and provided information about the project and the expansion schedule," Heaps said. "Our goal is to answer as many questions as possible from people, including how the network will work and who their providers will be. We want to be as transparent as possible with the community."
SiFi will also be meeting with community and city leaders this summer to determine what types of smart city applications they would like to see deployed in their cities. Everything from smart kiosks, smart stormwater monitoring, smart streetlights, parking sensors, traffic sensors and smart air quality monitors are examples of technologies that cities may need.
SiFi expects some parts of the network to be operational by spring 2023, with completion expected in fall 2024.
