Product Info

Product Description

The Valley Community Fibre Network has been designed with the highest standards in mind and constructed to meet stringent telecommunications standards.

The dielectric fibre cable used in the VCFN is supplied by Corning Cable.  This cable consists of a “Loose Tube” Single Mode fibre design with attenuation not exceeding -0.25 dB/Km and is capable of overall system wavelengths of 1550 nm. 

The fibre cable is double lashed to a newly installed messenger strand and designed for deployment in both aerial (lashed) and duct installation (pulled) and can withstand  a harsh environment. The galvanized steel stranded messenger cable and guys are 6M and 10M respectively and were supplied by the VCFN contractor. 

Dedicated fibre optic strands are allocated to each customer to assure secure and protected transfer of data. VCFN maintains and operates the network to ensure reliability, quality and delivery of service even during emergency situations. 

Dark fibre service is available where facilities exist and/or where customers have constructed a lateral and met the terms and conditions as set out in the Interconnect Agreement to join with the network along the established route. 

Fibre & Installation Standards

VCFN fibre cable has been installed to meet BCE and Aliant Telecommunication standards as well as all CRTC standards.   Both Aliant and NSP have endorsed the quality of the installation as well as the pole position of this Community owner fibre cable.

The fibre cable can withstand Canadian winters and summers as well as ocean salt spray.  A water blocking design has also been incorporated, to minimize or eliminate the need for flooding compound.  It also contains a dielectric strength member therefore meeting the requirement for breaking the sheath for bonding or grounding.  Each fibre fusion loss is not greater than .005db/fibre.
 
The VCFN contractor has bonded and grounded the strand according to Aliant’s 2007 guidelines. Our cable and strand installation meets stringent design, correct power separations and all road clearance standards. 

The network cable terminates at Dalhousie University CA*Net4 Point of Presence (POP) at the eastern end and at the Nova Scotia Community College Annapolis Campus in Middleton, the western end.  The VCFN network will interconnect with the Fundyweb Broadband Network which is co-located at the Middleton Campus.

Fibre Capacity

Optimal utilization of the network is dependant upon the optical equipment used by the customer. With the deployment of wave division multiplexing (WDM) technology, customers can run several channels or wavelengths over a single pair of fibre.  Two types of wave division multiplexing equipment are common – Coarse (CWDM) and Dense (DWDM).

CANARIE, Canada’s advanced Internet development organization has deployed reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexing (ROADM) technology in various western and central Canada initiatives. This technology has enabled 72 wavelengths at 10 Gbps (Gigabits per second) over a single pair of fibre. 

Customers using wave division multiplexing equipment on the Valley Community Fibre Network enjoy aggregate symmetric capacity of the fibre in excess of 250 GB (GigaBytes) per second.

The Network Fibre Optic Trunk

The VCFN dark fibre network extends more than 185 kilometres from Dalhousie University in Halifax to the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) in Middleton.

Within the Halifax Regional Municipality a Corning 144 fibre has been installed on existing aerial pole lines and in underground conduit. A 72 fibre extends from the HRM boundary through to Windsor and Middleton. The 72 fibre cable is installed in on both Aliant and NSP pole lines, except along the Windsor bridge underground duct structures in Kentville, Coldbrook and Middleton, where it is installed on in Aliant ducts.  At both the Windsor and Kentville sites the 72 fibre cables are accessible in “Repeater Rooms” where the optical signals may be regenerated, based on specific customer optic equipment.
 
Special fire rated (FT4) cable is deployed inside buildings where the Nova Scotia fire rated distance limits have been exceeded to meet existing Nova Scotia telecom standards.  This Corning cable consists of a “Loose Tube” Single Mode fibre design with attenuation of .30 dB/Km.

All Corning Fibre Patch Panel Assemblies (FPPA) are grounded and mounted on either fire-rated backboards or equipment frames.  All Fibre Optic Patch cord (3 m) specifications are: 8.3/125 microns, SC/PC to SC/PC FIS duplex, minimum back reflection of – 30 db and 0.2 db connection loss.

The Dalhousie University CA*Net4 POP is co-located with Nova Scotia CA*Net 4 GigaPOP, numerous networks and exchange points as well as several commercial Internet and data-communications service providers.

The VCFN backbone will interconnect with the Fundyweb Broadband Network co-located at the Middleton Campus.

Pricing

Single-mode, fibre optic strand pairs are available for lease and an indefeasible right to use (IRU) for up to 20 years. Various leasing options are available.

Recurring charges bill on a month-to-month basis; term contracts are available. These recurring charges include maintenance

Nonrecurring charges include the following elements:

• Initial Records Inquiry (IRI)
• Engineering Verification (EV)
• Per point of termination
• Order charge (initial and each additional pair order)
• Splicing

VCFN's goal is to stimulate innovation and facilitate business, economic and social growth in the Annapolis Valley region.

The VCFN will design agreements to suit customers' growing needs 

Collaborative efforts between organizations and business groups, as well as community associations will be considered and various pricing arrangements will be implemented.

Valley Community Fibre Network