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WHAT TO EXPECT
Learn about AEG's process & what it means for you.
STEP BY STEP
What Does Fiber Optic Mean for You?
AEG’s been working with Fiber Optics for 20+ years. But not everyone is familiar with Fiber Optic Networks. Below is a bird's eye view of the process, of what it is we do, and why.
Step 1: Consideration
Considering broadband services for your area? This stage can occur without the community knowing much about it. These early stages are often investigations into the political willingness, ability, and financial nature of pursuing broadband for your community. Some clients pursue “feasibility studies” to help inform this process. Why bother? Well, access to fiber and broadband can increase property values, draw business/industry, aid children in education, and foster world-wide connectedness and progress.
Step 2: Funding
Every project is different…in size, scope, infrastructure, and technology available already. And so, funding can look very different. Some customers self-fund entirely, some partner with others, some seek grant funding or other investors. It’s also important to consider the business side of such a project. If a customer brings fiber to their community will it be sustainable as a business? These are not one size fits all questions or answers.
Step 3: Design
When AEG is engaged our design and engineering team are the first folks you’ll see. We’re gathering data, surveying, mapping, planning and eventually designing a fiber network that will best serve your community’s unique needs.
Step 4: Construction
Depending on your community needs and the plan laid out, AEG may be building in one location at a time or we may be dispersed to several sites. Construction of fiber optic networks can look very different in different areas. In some areas, we may be in bucket trucks working on telephone poles (aerial construction). While in other areas we may be diverting foot or road traffic around ground-level work (underground construction). Either way, if your property will be affected by the project, you’ll receive a notification informing you of upcoming work, the anticipated date/time, and the nature of the work along with a contact if you have any questions or concerns.
Step 5: Integration
This is the fun part! When Fiber-To-The-Home cable is coming to your property, your service provider should notify you when the new service is ready for use. They are just as excited to get you set up as you will be to get fast, reliable, broadband service.
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Who is AEG?Founded in 1996, AEG is widely recognized as an outside-plant specialist but also handles data center work, wireless networks, cellular backhaul and more. AEG is headquartered in Buford, Georgia, but deploys in-house personnel and on-site project managers globally. AEG provides project management, service planning, design, engineering (including make-ready and field engineering), underground and aerial construction, splicing, premises installation, headend activation, testing and many other professional and technical services.
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What is FTTH?FTTH stands for Fiber To The Home and is the cutting edge of data transfer technology. Fiber optic cables transmit data at the speed of light, so there is literally nothing that can deliver internet faster.
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I saw AEG trucks, does that mean I'm getting Fiber?"Not neccessarily. Sometimes our installations service a very specific client or facility. Sometimes a municipality is installing fiber for an entire city, sometimes the installation is neighborhood by neighborhood. To find out if Fiber Optic capabilities are coming to you contact your local governing body to find out more.
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Will the fiber optic installation interrupt my current service?Almost certainly not. Our installations are very minimal impact and frequently run in tandem with current systems. If you do experience an interruption in service, please contact your provider and they will work with us to get it resolved quickly.
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Where is AEG located?AEG's corporate office is in Buford, GA (suburb of Atlanta), with additional engineering offices in Denver, Austin, and Kansas City. We also currently have construction offices on projects in Colorado, New York, Maryland, Tennessee, and Vermont.
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What services does AEG provide?AEG provides full turnkey services for both engineering and construction. Services include but are not limited to OSP design, field engineering, construction management, aerial construction, underground construction, technical services, and occasionally ongoing installations and maintenance.
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What are our predictions for the future of Broadband in the USA?AEG expects broadband expansion to increase dramatically over the next several years. Little progress has been made over the last decade relative to rural America, but all signs are pointing to preparation of increased activity for underserved markets. Furthermore, the muni markets are going to heat up as communities demand better connectivity.
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What makes AEG unique?AEG has been, and continues to be, an advocate for our Clients and the projects we serve. This is not always the case in the construction business and we pride ourselves for this reputation. Because AEG is both an engineer & construction entity, we are able to give the best outcome without conflict. It's the client and AEG - one group with no competing among several entities.
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What are the pros and cons of Open Access?Open Access sounds good on paper. And it has worked well in European countries with a more socialist view of infrastructure. In the USA to date, it has had it's challenges. In fact, some miserable failures. The premise of 'let's build a new, next generation fiber network capable of bringing big broadband to all our citizens, and let's open it up for all service providers to use" is a good one. In reality, the problem has been that a subscriber model (whereby the users on the network pay for it) hasn't worked. Why? Because the incumbent telecom companies (telephone and CATV) have been extremely reluctant to use the network. In a capitalist society, the 'for profit' companies have all wanted to own their on infrastructure. If we change this view, or if we get our citizens to agree to a utility model of paying for it (charge everyone whether they use the network or not - similar to a road), the Open Access will become a real game changer in the market.
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Why should I choose AEG?We think the most important reason to choose AEG is because you can trust us. New entrants to the fiber world can feel overwhelmed by the scope of a project like this. AEG has been doing this for over 20 years. We’ve designed and built more fiber networks than all others combined. We’ve seen a thing or two. We’re not just fiber experts, we’re your advocate. In fact, we’ve interacted with dozens of clients that we believed were not ready, and we told them not to pursue the project. This is not a one-size-fits-all solution and our ultimate goal is to see our clients succeed!
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Am I in your service area?AEG operates world-wide. The majority of our projects have been based in the USA. But the southeast is home…that’s where we’re headquartered. We currently have locations in Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, Missouri, Iowa, Colorado, and New York.
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What does it cost to build a FTTH network?More than a pizza, less than a Federal works program. AEG has designed and built 113 fiber networks since 1996, with 45 being city-wide FTTH networks. We know what it costs to build and can help deliver the answer. Many variables will lead to the final cost, such as customer density, underground versus aerial construction, make-ready and easement costs, and the overall business plan of the network. The range is huge. Our lowest cost city-wide FTTH network to date was approximately $400/home (high density, aerial, no easement costs) and the highest cost was approximately $10,000/home (very rural, underground, high make-ready costs). AEG's unique expertise as a design/build company can generate the most efficient network at the best cost to deploy.
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I'm a contractor interested in working for AEG. How can I get on your bid list?Please email your company's resume and information to info@aeg.cc and we will reach out to you regarding possible work.
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Why Design/Build?Four Words - "Single Finger to Point." AEG has been involved in more than 100 fiber construction projects. The only ones that have ever had serious disputes were Design-Bid-Build. Engineering is relatively low risk and represents 5% of total cost, construction is relatively high risk and represents 95% of cost. Bad engineering in a Design-Bid-Build scenario means disputes and change orders. Bad engineering in Design/Build means the single team has to fix the issues and move on. AEG offers all three options - design only, build only, and design/build. Our experience is that design/build is the fastest, least cost, and has the least disputes between the vendors and the Owner.
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What are the real results of Muni FTTH?Mixed. After being involved in 40+ municipal FTTH builds, we've seen successes and we've seen challenges. The most common success is that all these communities have better broadband and better competition because of their entrance into the telecom arena. Exponentially better. On the challenging side, sometimes the financials have worked out well, sometimes they have just barely covered their cost, and sometimes they have been failures that ultimately cost the ratepayers and taxpayers. The most common difference we have seen between huge success and failure is two factors - whether the municipality has a 'champion' behind the project and whether the municipality aggressively markets the new and better broadband network.
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What software tool is used for design purposes?AEG uses a proprietary tool that it has developed to host information in the cloud
RESOURCES
Helpful FTTH Information.
AEG does not exist in a vacuum…we too have some great advocates, resources, and partners. There are dozens of reputable sources of great information about FTTH. Find a few of our favorites below.
