Friday, August 31
"Huh. Either something bad happened and there's no progress to report this week or that guy who updates the web site must be on vacation..."
Don't I wish! (For vacation, not that "something bad" stuff.) Actually, it has been a week without great progress to report, but for good reason.
As noted yesterday in our email to those on our mailing list, the network build has been held up for a few days while all parties have been doing some re-evaluation of the network plans. A few concerns came up regarding planned capacity in certain areas, and whether the backhaul capabilities to some towers were going to be adequate, so before tower climbers went up and installed radios that would have to be replaced right away to expand capacity, everyone stopped to make sure the plans called for the right equipment in the right places, so this week has been spent doing more checking than actual installing.
Hey, we aren't any more fond of delays than you are, but it is most important to get this right, and a delay of a few days shouldn't really affect the overall schedule.
So anyway, that's where this week's updates have been. Or more accurately, not been.
We are expecting work to resume next week, as changes to the network plans are now all but finalized, so we should get back to more substantial updates shortly. In the meantime, we wish everyone a great, and safe, holiday weekend!
Friday, August 24
Only a short update here again today, as the weather continues to make tower work difficult and slow-moving. The Morganfield tower work did go as planned yesterday. Radios were hung and cables connected, so that tower is now awaiting power to bring up the units for testing. That makes six towers with equipment installed and two others nearing the completion of that step.
Speaking of that step, it's probably worth detailing to some degree what actually has to happen with each tower to get it to "finished" and the product to General Release. While it probably seems like "you put up the radios and turn them on" there's quite a bit more to it than that...
Before anything can happen, a Lease Agreement has to be negotiated and signed to allow for use of each tower. This network is planned to be built using existing structures, without new tower construction, so various tower owners must sign these agreements, or alternate towers must be found and space purchased on them. Once a tower is secured, a Load Study must be performed to certify that the tower and space available on it is physically adequate for the demands of the installation.
Once that certification is obtained, climbers go up on the tower and install the radios -- at least seven units on even the "smallest" tower and as many as 14 on several. That work also requires cables be run down the tower to connect the units and to provide power to them, with all of that wiring being run to the tower's hut near the base where all equipment on the tower is connected for management and to a high voltage power supply.
Of course, high voltage cabling requires certified electrical work be performed after the tower climbers have everything in place, then the serving utility company has to connect everything new to its grid. (It's quite a bit more juice than a long extension cord can handle!)
Once all that is finally done, the radios are powered up and ready for testing. From each tower, locations of various distances and different directions are checked to test the signal frequency and strength. Anything not meeting expectations is adjusted and retested to confirm all antenna units are transmitting as required.
At the same time, backhaul radios and connections are tested to ensure each tower is making the proper connection back across the network. Keep in mind that the actual point of connectivity for the entire network is in one primary location with a backup in a different spot, in case something catastrophic takes down the main link. Each tower gets a high-bandwidth backhaul link over the wide network to get its connectivity, then send out signals to individual users through different radios (Access Points).
Once all the connections are confirmed, IP (Internet) connectivity is established and tested. That (finally!) gets us to the Beta stage, where individual users can make a connection to the Internet and test speeds and response times. Only after that testing, and any adjustments that have to be made based on its results, can a tower be declared "finished" and the product be put in General Release for customers.
All that only has to happen 27 times, plus two more times to get backbone connections established, for the network to be completed. Whew!
We realize that many of you have expected this network to be ready by now, or to be moving faster than it has. We know there's been great enthusiasm for this, and it continues to grow, but all parties involved would prefer to get this right than try to meet unrealistic expectations. In the end, the network and the service it provides you will be better for that. Rest assured that DCI, CCC and CGI are all dedicated to providing the highest quality service as soon as possible!
That's it for now. Everyone have a great weekend, and we'll get more info out next week.
Thursday, August 23
The updates have come in slowly this week as the heat index has remained high enough to make tower work difficult. You have to admire those guys who climb metal towers and strap themselves with a belt hundreds of feet in the air. It can't get any easier when it's 100 degrees and that metal heats up. No telling how hot it gets up there since they're even closer to the sun than us ground-dwellers!
;-)
Even with that though, progress is continuing. DCI reported last night that initial work on the Sugar Tree tower northwest of Corydon was completed yesterday. Self-testing on that tower began today, as it does not yet have a backhaul link to the hub in Owensboro.
Also, construction work is going on today at the Morganfield tower.
We'll have a weekly progress meeting with all parties tomorrow morning and we'll plan to get a more detailed update posted after that meeting.