How long till fibre goes down in power cut?

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TechnoGuy001

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#226398 5-Jan-2018 13:41

So we've got a UPS for our ONT, routers etc to keep our internet going during power cuts.

But I'm curious, how long can Chorus keep there local exchange boxes (I assume they need power?) going, do they each have their own UPS?

There is no space for generators, or do they take power upstream somewhere?

I know POPs have UPSs and generators, so they should be covered until someone can get there to top up the generators.

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#1929869 5-Jan-2018 13:46

There are only passive splitters in the street - hence the P in the PON network. Exchanges have generators to keep the batteries charged for the old person phone equipment but I don't know how long they spec them to operate for when the power goes out.

That is why fiber is so much better than the cabnitized DSL products for reliability in event of a power failure.

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Starscream122

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#1929871 5-Jan-2018 13:53

show us a pic of a passive splitter in a street?

Zeon

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#1929872 5-Jan-2018 13:59

They must have active equipment somewhere? Are they still using the exchanges for these? Would they not be better to try and get all copper to use cabinets and sell the land for the exchanges?

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timmmay

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#1929877 5-Jan-2018 14:02

Interesting question. Hope to get an answer from someone in the know. One reason I got rid of Vodafone Fiber is it doesn't work in a power cut, it relies on pole mounted amplifiers (from memory). That, poor routing, poor service, and poor performance.

I have a DC UPS for my fiber modem / router. Sentry Lite. Works well with external 7AH battery for 1-3 hour cuts, and I have much larger batteries on a solar charger for extended use.

k1w1k1d

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#1929884 5-Jan-2018 14:20

Would be good to get a reply from someone at Chorus.

I know that Enable in Christchurch have backup generators in their "exchanges" around town. Assume Chorus etc would have similar backup generator systems in place.

chevrolux

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#1929890 5-Jan-2018 14:36

Yea no idea what the official expected time is. But at Palmy exchange there is an enormous amount of battery power, and then there is also a huge genny. I would of thought it could essentially run on genny power indefinitely provided a supply of fuel was there. Stand to be corrected, but from memory pretty much anywhere there was a NEAX there is a genny (off the top of my head in the Manawatu area anyway). The smaller RLU's (dotted in suburbs and out in rural areas) just have batteries but can all have a genny hooked up to them.

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chevrolux

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#1929891 5-Jan-2018 14:36

Zeon

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#1929895 5-Jan-2018 14:40

chevrolux:

Yea no idea what the official expected time is. But at Palmy exchange there is an enormous amount of battery power, and then there is also a huge genny. I would of thought it could essentially run on genny power indefinitely provided a supply of fuel was there. Stand to be corrected, but from memory pretty much anywhere there was a NEAX there is a genny (off the top of my head in the Manawatu area anyway). The smaller RLU's (dotted in suburbs and out in rural areas) just have batteries but can all have a genny hooked up to them.

Genny..... I searched for that and found this:

Whatever it is it looks like it can help sustain a telecommunications network.

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richms

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#1929899 5-Jan-2018 14:44

Starscream122:

show us a pic of a passive splitter in a street?

They are in the pits that you see them working on occasionally, not much to see there, when I snooped over the sholder of a guy working it just looked like coils of the thin fiber that they were joining onto the ones going to houses.

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Starscream122

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#1929902 5-Jan-2018 14:47

richms:
Starscream122:

show us a pic of a passive splitter in a street?

They are in the pits that you see them working on occasionally, not much to see there, when I snooped over the sholder of a guy working it just looked like coils of the thin fiber that they were joining onto the ones going to houses.

there’s power running in those pits? Are. You sure? The one My fibre goes to often fills with water.. i watched the guy do our full install so I have seen inside those pits and know how it’s all done.

richms

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#1929903 5-Jan-2018 14:48

Starscream122: there’s power running in those pits? Are. You sure? The one My fibre goes to often fills with water

No, there is no power, it is a passive splitter.

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Starscream122

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#1929904 5-Jan-2018 14:49

My bad

Darren0

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#1929914 5-Jan-2018 15:26

k1w1k1d:

Would be good to get a reply from someone at Chorus.

I know that Enable in Christchurch have backup generators in their "exchanges" around town. Assume Chorus etc would have similar backup generator systems in place.

Similar concept yes, battery kicks in while the generators fire up. You'll see exhaust pipes coming out of any major Chorus building you can find.

Bigger the exchange, bigger the systems and the more effort Chorus - or any DC operator for that matter - will put into making sure they have sufficient fuel for days on end and securing resupply.

So to answer the main question, hopefully a damn long time because remember, it's not just Chorus fibre equipment in those spaces, it's a lot of other operator equipment in there as well.

phantomdb

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#1929917 5-Jan-2018 15:29

Starscream122:

show us a pic of a passive splitter in a street?

this is basicly what a pasive splitter is network in one side, clients out the otherside

[ SIGNATURE HERE ]

Aredwood

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#1930990 5-Jan-2018 19:06

https://goo.gl/maps/EDQwkd8PnFN2

Example of a Chorus fibre cabinet containing the passive optical splitters. These were only installed in years 1 to 3 of the fibre build. Newer areas have the splitters installed underground.

No power connected to or used by these cabinets.

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