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Partly cloudy skies. Low 34F. Winds light and variable..
Partly cloudy skies. Low 34F. Winds light and variable.
Work is progressing on bringing cellular service to Highway 6 between Banks and Tillamook, with Astound Broadband laying the fiber optic cable that will bring data while Verizon designs its plan for towers to serve the corridor.
Astound plans to finish laying the cable in the first quarter of next year, while an official from Verizon said that it would be two to three years before their service is up and running.
“I’m just really excited that we’re able to move forward and start this process,” said Alex Max Leupp from Verizon. “As long as it’s going to take, it will be worth it.”
The cable that will facilitate cell coverage is being installed by Astound, which is serving as the terrestrial fiber backhaul provider for the transpacific cable originating in Asia. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the largest customer for Astound but will still use less than 10% of the new cable’s capacity.
The transpacific cable is expected to land on the beach in Pacific City in 2024, joining at least four other transpacific cables, two of which are operated by Astound. Astound’s previous two cables, like the forthcoming one, stretch from the transpacific landing sites to Portland, with one traversing the Salmonberry Pass and another taking a southern route through Grand Ronde before turning north through Albany.
According to Matthew Updenkelder from Astound, the company is working with other companies and governments in addition to Verizon to maximize the cable’s impact along its route. Past cables have been designed and installed without consideration for the needs of local communities past and through which it is passing, but that is not the case with the cable currently being laid.
“This is much more a collaborative effort versus kind of engineering and designing in a box and then going out and building and not telling anybody,” Updenkelder said. “AWS in particular has done a very good job of engaging the community and engaging other folks and allowing us to reach out to other folks about access to the backhaul cable.”
Astound has been in contact with the state of Oregon, Tillamook People’s Utility District, Tillamook Lightwave and the Oregon Department of Transportation and is working to increase internet access for underserved communities along the route. Tillamook Lightwave will own a percentage of the cable’s fibers in exchange for granting the right of ways for its route.
Work on laying the backhaul cable began last year in south county, progressing north along Highway 101. This summer, multiple crews have been working on various sections of cable at different locations on Highway 6, with Updenkelder estimating that work was complete through milepost eight or nine with other portions in progress elsewhere.
Astound is working with Verizon to determine the location of the strategic tie points for their towers, which must be installed as the cable is laid. Updenkelder said that the cable will be operational by quarter one of 2024 and that connecting Verizon’s towers at the predetermined tie points will not disrupt service for other users.
Once the cable is laid and data is available, the focus will shift to Verizon tackling the logistical challenges of siting, building and powering cell towers in the imposing coastal range forest.
The project has been funded internally and Verizon is currently working on designing its coverage strategy for the corridor. Leupp said that a decision on the number and location of towers has not been reached, but that a mix of macro towers and small cells would be needed to address the challenging topography. In the past, officials from Tillamook County have estimated that covering the 39-mile, unserved stretch of road would take six or seven towers.
Leupp said the project represents the company’s commitment to adding service for high traffic and high crash areas and addressing digital equity issues.
“We look at the digital divide and digital equity issues as: This is not a rural problem, it’s not an urban problem, it’s an American problem. We have to deal with this wherever it is,” Leupp said.
Verizon plans to offer 5G service for its customers on the route and the macro towers are capable of supporting colocation of services for other carriers.
Service will function for emergency calls, regardless carrier, finally allowing drivers to contact emergency services on the sometimes-treacherous road.
Astound is also working with the Oregon Department of Transportation on plans to add a trip check camera at the summit of Highway 6, to allow drivers to check conditions in real time.
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