Q. What is “dark” fibre?
In fibre-optic communications, dark fiber or unlit fibre refers to unused fibers, available for use. The term was originally used when talking about the potential network capacity of telecommunication infrastructure, but now also refers to the increasingly common practice of leasing fiber optic cables from a network service provider.
A. “Dark” Fibre as opposed to “lit fibre is the connection between 2 points without any electronic equipment. Qnet does not provide any actual applications such as telephone services or internet access; service providers who will place electronic equipment at both ends will provide applications to end users.
Q. Why does Coquitlam lease dark fibre instead of lit
fibre?
A. The City is not a telecommunications carrier but rather an enabler. Telecom service providers and Internet service providers have indicated an interest in leasing “dark fibre” to extend services to the community.
Q. Why did Coquitlam install fibre optic cables in the
first place?
A. The original investment was to support City services. The initial fibre was installed to allow for coordinated traffic signals – sometimes called the green wave – to help reduce congestion and move traffic more efficiently through the City. The next installation of fibre was to link City buildings to support the organization’s telecommunications requirements. The City is using the fibre it needs, but there is extra capacity sitting unused. QNet is taking that extra capacity and leasing it out to generate non-tax revenue while also providing the community with access to new service choices and potentially higher speed telecommunications services.
Q. What are the benefits of having a fibre network in
the community?
A. As the Internet continues to grow, along with increased demand for high speed services and bandwidth, for example – downloading music and videos, YouTube and growing applications like telemedicine, the existing infrastructure cannot support the demand. As well, the growth in wireless services also requires infrastructure like fibre to act as a backbone – so this is also driving the need for speed. By offering this infrastructure in our community, Coquitlam is helping to ensure that our City remains at the forefront of this growing demand.s
Q. How does this differ from other cities?
A. Coquitlam’s model, creating a Municipal Corporation like Qnet to lease “dark” fibre, is unique
A. Other cities have partnered exclusively with a telecommunication’s carrier. Coquitlam provides the fibre infrastructure but does not lease it exclusively to one service providers; end users now will have multiple choices for their telecommunications services.
Q. Who would be most likely to lease this fibre?
A. Qnet’s target clients are telecommunications carriers, cable companies, wireless network operators and independent services providers.
A. Since building a fibre infrastructure is costly for carriers and service providers leasing fibre from the city will expand the number of service providers in the community available to sell innovative services, without investing heavily in fibre construction.
Q. How does a fibre optic network support wireless
services?
A. A wireless antenna supports only a limited number of users in a small area. Multiple antennas are therefore required all over the city for a full coverage. The fibre optic network is able to connect all these antennas.
Q. How will businesses benefit from this fibre optic network?
A. The two most important benefits to businesses will be a broader selection of innovative telecommunications offerings from more service providers active in the local community on Qnet’s dark fibre.
A. Businesses experience greater efficiencies and opportunities as a result of the leading edge services available over a fibre network
A. More business telephone services, faster high speed data, better wide area networking and internet service options,
A. Wireless service companies leasing Qnet’s dark fibre will be able to offer businesses enhanced mobile and broadband services.
Q. Can I get fibre to my home?
A. At this initial stage, Qnet only serves office building’s malls and MDU’s (multi-dwelling units) in close proximity to main arterial roads. Service providers will provide an array of applications ranging from basic internet to advanced services such as IPTV (internet protocol television), to tenants in a MDU.
A. Fibre to single family residences is being planned for subsequent phases of Qnet’s growth.
Q. Why is Coquitlam getting involved in the
telecommunications industry?
A. The primary objective of Coquitlam getting involved in providing infrastructure is to attract more service providers to extend their services into the community. The City is not involved with the delivering the actual application services; it is simply providing the foundation infrastructure. It is similar to a road that has extra lanes we’re not using, and we are now charging a fee for telecommunications businesses to use an extra lane.
Q. What will the City be doing with the revenue it
generates?
A. The revenues from QNet will be used as non-tax revenue to support City initiatives, and they will also be used to extend the fibre optic network throughout the community.
Q. Who owns QNet?
A. The Coquitlam Optical Network Corporation is a municipal corporation that is wholly owned by the City of Coquitlam.
Q. Can anyone sign a lease for QNet fibre?
A. Yes, any telecommunications carrier, internet service provider, commercial business, government agency and even a strata council can become a customer of Qnet’s fibre
