Having a reliable internet connection today is no longer an option; it’s a necessity for businesses to thrive. With the expansion of business fibre internet providers, more locations that were previously unserviceable now have access to high-speed internet.
Opting for a business fibre service using high-quality optical fibre cables from a reputed optical fibre manufacturer can significantly enhance productivity, network performance, and overall business continuity. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of installing fibre optic internet in business complexes, focusing on dedicated fibre installations.
Dedicated Fibre Installation Requirements
For a successful dedicated fibre optic internet installation, specific site requirements must be met:
Path: Laying down the cables sourced from the best among the various optical fibre manufacturing companies starts with a proper installation path. The installation path commences at the fibre provider’s network, often at the property line, and extends to your business’s router. Technicians must establish a functional pathway from the fibre network to the building’s demarcation point. In larger office buildings, negotiations with the building owner may be required.
The path must include a 2-4″ conduit with a pull rope and adhere to specific bending requirements. Additional inside wiring or conduit work may be necessary if the circuit’s endpoint (e.g., office suite) is beyond the building demarc. Planning and scheduling the installation should consider that this initial step may take some time to complete.
Power: To support a fibre optic connection, routers, modems, and network devices require an adequate power supply. Typically, this entails a 15-20 amp, 110-120V AC outlet in close proximity to the equipment.
Ground: Proper grounding is essential to prevent maintenance issues. Business fibre installations necessitate grounding equipment and racks using a ground rod or building bus bar connected by a large wire. All equipment connected to power must be adequately grounded using 3-prong outlets.
Space & Environment: The installation location must comply with specific space and environmental regulations to ensure a safe and reliable fibre optic internet connection. These regulations encompass temperature, humidity, and dust requirements due to equipment sensitivity.
Additionally, the installation space should incorporate a fire-retardant backboard for equipment or rack mounting. The power source, ground, and customer router must be in close proximity.
Fiber Optic Installation and Turn-Up
After ensuring that your business complex meets the essential site requirements, it’s time to dive into the actual fibre optic installation process, recommendations for which many optical fibre manufacturers provide as well. This section will provide a step-by-step breakdown of the installation and turn-up so you can better understand what to expect.
Step 1: Fibre Placement
The installation process begins within the provider’s network. Technicians place the necessary fibre infrastructure to connect your business complex to their network. This process includes ensuring the quality and integrity of the fibre cables. The quality can be best assured if the cables used are from a reputed optical fibre manufacturer.
Step 2: Splicing
Fibre splicing is a critical step where technicians connect individual fibre strands to create a continuous path. These connections must be precise to ensure optimal data transmission. Precision is key to preventing data loss. Reputed optical fibre manufacturing companies provide customers with robust cables that do not get easily damaged while splicing.
Step 3: Infrastructure Setup
Once the fibre cables are in place and spliced together, infrastructure setup is the next phase. Technicians will establish the connections between the fibre optic network and your business’s internal network infrastructure. This step involves configuring routers, switches, and other network equipment to support the new fibre optic service.
Step 4: Fibre Pulling
Now that the infrastructure is ready, it’s time to pull the fibre cables to your business complex. Technicians will route the fibre cables from the provider’s network to your building, ensuring that the fibres are correctly laid out and protected within the conduits.
Step 5: Equipment Connection
With the fibre cables in place, the next step is to connect the equipment required for the fibre optic service. This typically includes the installation of routers, modems, and network devices in your business complex. These devices must be adequately powered and grounded, as outlined in the earlier site requirements.
Step 6: Testing
Extensive testing is a crucial part of the process to ensure that the fibre optic internet connection is functioning optimally. High-quality cables from an optical fibre manufacturer like STL will pass the testing with flying colours.
Technicians will conduct various tests to measure factors such as data transmission speed, data integrity, and network reliability. This testing phase aims to identify and rectify any issues that could affect the quality of the internet connection.
Step 7: Scheduling Turn-Up
Once all tests are successfully completed, it’s time to schedule a turn-up with the customer. This usually involves coordinating with the designated tech contact or IT manager onsite. During this process, the newly installed fibre optic service is activated, and your business can start using it.
Importantly, there is no downtime during the installation and turn-up process. The new fibre optic service with cables from a trusted optical fibre manufacturing company is installed parallel to any existing internet service, even if another dedicated fibre service is already in place.
Concluding Thoughts
The entire dedicated fibre installation process generally takes about 60 days for most locations. However, it’s essential to note that this timeframe may be extended if additional network construction is required. While the installation process for dedicated fibre takes longer than shared fibre, cable, DSL, or satellite, the benefits in terms of bandwidth availability, uptime, and network performance make it a worthwhile investment for businesses relying on high-performance internet connectivity.
All of the installation process can be carried out smoothly if the cables used for it are from a long-standing optical fibre manufacturer like STL, ensuring high quality and standard of fibre strands that require minimal maintenance for years to come.
FAQs
- Why is a dedicated fibre installation preferred for businesses?
Dedicated fibre installations offer exclusive bandwidth, consistent speeds, and high reliability, making them the ideal choice for businesses relying on critical internet-dependent operations.
- How long does a dedicated fibre installation process typically take?
The installation process generally takes about 60 days for most locations, though it may be extended if additional network construction is needed. Make sure to use cables from a trustworthy optical fibre manufacturer.
- What are the key differences between dedicated and shared fibre internet?
Dedicated fibre provides exclusive bandwidth, high reliability, and consistent speeds. Shared fibre is cost-effective but may experience variations in performance due to network sharing.
- Why is it crucial to have fibre cables from a reputable optical fibre manufacturer?
Cables from a trusted optical fibre manufacturing company ensure high-quality fibre strands that are less likely to get damaged during splicing, contributing to optimal data transmission.
- Is there downtime during the installation and turn-up process?
No, there is no downtime during the installation and turn-up process. The new fibre optic service is installed parallel to any existing internet service, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity.
