Copper Rain
September 22, 2009
If you read this blog regularly, you know how I feel about copper loops.
Well, the network alarms across the southeast and middle Atlantic are buzzing today.
Receiving days of rain, lots of Type 2 (copper circuits) in these areas have grounded out. You see, water and metal do not mix. The metal seeks a ground when current runs through it. So, if any copper pairs in theses rain driven areas have the tiniest of sheath nicks or open copper that gets wet … well, there you have it – no dial tone. No DSL. The same goes for the cable company running copper coax.
Reports to our folks in our NOC from AT&T – it will be 48-hours before they can get to some circuits.
This is why I don’t like fiber-to-the-pedestal fantasies either. The area in the pedestal that connects the tube fiber to the customer copper is in open air. Too much rain, one drop of water – and the copper gives you a crackling static noise or goes dead. Or, the copper between the pedestal and premise has one nick in it or loose connection, the water grounds it out.
Fiber all the way in to the premise? Fiber is dielectric – it could care less about water or lightning.
Did I mention what lightning does to copper in seeking a ground as well … it’s not pretty! Fiber is dielectric.
I can remember looking at print outs back when while President of Frontier. Based on the call volume pattern to our customer service centers, I could always tell you by looking at the data when we had rain … the calls would jump!
Yet another reason and real life examples to become a fiber bigot.
Written by Dave Rusin - Telecom Executive
Posted by wbrache | Filed Under Telecom news, Telecommunications industry
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You conveniently forgot the part about fiber not liking water either.