NineStar连接 is unlike any rural co-op in America. The company offers Fiber to the Home (FTTH)及商业(FTTB), electricity, water 和 sewer services. Their new vision began back in 2011 when Hancock Telecom 和 Central Indiana Power merged to create an infrastructure 权力house, driving economic development 和 growth.

“Step one was to deliver higher-quality, smart services 为 combined 权力 和 电信 customers评论说:“ Michael Burrow, president 和 CEO of NineStar连接. “Deciding to add wet services more recently, we already had the fiber optic systems in place to make water 和 sewer intelligent, 也.”

Burrow considers the fiber optic network reliability 和 unlimited b和width to be valued “currency” supporting all services. Since 2011, NineStar连接 has employed OFS 光缆 和 optical connectivity products exclusively, 安装1个以上,500 miles of 光缆, 和 investing $54 million in infrastructure. The “Smart” in their Smart Grid network depends on high speed 和 reliability from OFS 为 光通信 为 权力, 电信, sewer 和 water services, 和 even to an entrepreneurial campus 和 adjacent high-tech cornfield.

根据 乔治Plisinksi, Manager of NineStar连接 Telecom Operations, “The co-op continues to invest in its fiber optic backbone, as communities dem和 a local, responsive alternative to national competitors. 根据 a recent study of the region, the availability of fiber optics to 权力 high-speed broadb和 connectivity is a key consideration 为 economic development.”

Adds Plisinksi, “Originally OFS only provided 光缆 to NineStar. Now, our strategic partnership broadens their role to include participation in our business strategy. In terms of optical products, this includes microcables, 1×32 MPO分离器, AllWave®FLEX跳线, 绳索 和 FITEL®连接工具.”

“NineStar连接 expects OFS to anticipate growth 和 support innovation. This is truly a partnership, where we face real life issues. NineStar 和 OFS solve problems together评论说:“ 亚历克斯咀嚼, OFS Sales Manager 为 the Central U.S.

扭转下降

Burrow believes that the decline in rural areas revolves around young people going off to college 和 coming back to a primitive rural infrastructure. “Today quality of life requires more than electricity. We have discovered we can raise the quality of all utility services through communications excellence. Otherwise, 为get about growth,” he says.

乔治Plisinski, Manager of Telecom Operations at NineStar连接 (left), 吉尔·斯奈德, Director of Business 和 Economic Development at NinesStar Connect. NineStar连接 will soon provide a 30,000 sq. ft. co-working facility 为 start-ups (behind them), 和 also a high-tech agricultural field of 17 acres, where fiber optics will support high yield crops, 和 innovative ideas 为 agriculture.

下水道 & 水情报

NineStar连接’s recent purchase of wet utilities, marrying them into the existing fiber optic network, was strategic 和 tactical. Now, automated water meter readings 和 monitoring 为 leaks are the norm. 根据Burrow的说法, the co-op simply tied in the fiber network already in place to monitor electric 和 communications services. This change helped to reduce overhead 为 members of the co-op, allowing more capital 为 other innovations. Burrows says with confidence, “Dependable public water 和 sewer service improves property values 和 the quality of life. It also helps the government 和 developers to better manage growth 和 make the community more attractive 为 businesses that want to bring good-paying jobs to the county.”

NineStar连接 has a strong commitment to new services provided by their customers—和 为 their customers–as noted in the examples that follow.

NEW MODEL FOR HEALTH CARE

“Compared with an old-fashioned X-ray, an MRI scan consists of thous和s of slices of data, which is transmitted rapidly 和 precisely over our fiber optic network评论说:“ 史蒂夫长, President 和 CEO of Hancock Health 和 Hancock Regional Hospital. “In the past it would have been unthinkable to almost instantaneously send MRI or CAT scans to other hospitals, physicians 和 specialists.”

持续长时间, “NineStar连接 plays a critical role in delivering optimal care to all of our patients. The fiber optic network is an invaluable building block 为 a very different future.”

在医院里, two redundant server rooms allow massive data files 和 videos to be sent throughout the hospital 和 to outside specialists 和 partners. These rooms are considered to be the nerve center of the hospital. This capability enables telemedicine via NineStar连接’s vast East-Central Indiana fiber optic network 和 is monitored 24/7.

BROADBAND DATA IRRIGATION

“Our soon-to-be-launched Idea Co-op brings the 权力 of bright minds 和 fiber optics together in a start-up co-working style campus. We are moving our non-IT related people to a new facility to make room!” 吉尔·斯奈德, Director of Business 和 Economic Development at NineStar连接.

“The cornfield beside us will become a lab 为 new agriculture technologies including subsurface-to- stratosphere connectivity ideas that would “irrigate” with fiber optics 和 sensors to monitor nutrients 和 changes in moisture. Drones 和 self-driving vehicles have already set the stage 为 advanced farming,” she continues. Snyder notes that fiber to the farm is critical 为 the next generation. 而大数据, including aerials of entire acreages, will help to minimize spraying, sensors in the ground connected to fiber optics will direct attention to plants needing nutrients. Less fertilizer means less runoff into the creeks 和 less pollution. “Fiber optics are vital to increasing yield,” Snyder states.

未来的农村vs. 过时的

Rural homeowners have Internet speeds equal to or faster than residents in major cities. Movies 和 videos function without interruption. Communications connectivity 为 homes continues to skyrocket in usage, including video 为 phone conferences, data 和 streaming entertainment. With OFS fiber optics, provided by NineStar连接, the future is already in place. Computers 和 software created five to 10 years from now will already have the infrastructure in place to support additional b和width dem和.

指出Plisinki, “有时简单, practical innovations are essential to high-level technology delivery. AllWave FLEX Zero Water Peak (ZWP) Bend-Insensitive Fiber from OFS is one good example, as it ensures premium per为mance, even when exposed to water 和 subjected to bends.”

事实上, attenuation or loss of the optical signal in a st和ard 单模 fiber simply doesn’t happen. 无缝拼接 FITEL熔接器 can be done everywhere from 长期 到更短的范围 在建 应用程序.

电力安全第一

Safety is boosted dramatically 为 linemen working in NineStar连接’s 权力 utility side of the business. Their fiber optic network allows 为 centralized control 和 fault isolation in the event of an outage, 和 also permits linemen to report directly to the outage location to begin restoration work. 同时, fiber-optic-fed electric distribution equipment is rapidly switched from afar to restore 权力 to the maximum number of homes 和 businesses possible.

“纤维是最好的选择. Line crews don’t want to rely on wireless frequency. Direct connection is safer 和 more efficient,杰米·贝尔说。, NineStar连接 Director of Engineering.

Bell continues, “Our SCADA system, integrated with our fiber optic network, is self healing. Outages are minimized 和 we are able to narrow down issues so quickly that our customers rarely encounter inconveniences.”

OFS 光纤电缆 at NineStar连接

• 1家独家供应商,500 miles of 单模 和 多模 光缆, 包括室外厂房(百), 室内电缆. 加固的 跳投, 紧凑的橱柜 和 补丁面板 整个系统 
• Microcables from OFS including MiDia®FX PLUS电缆, 最小直径电缆
• 跳投
• FITEL fusion splicing machines
• 全波零水峰 (ZWP) full- spectrum, 单模 optical fiber; using different wavelengths
• AllWave FLEX bend-insensitive fiber so the signal is not lost
• BIF (bend-insensitive纤维). NineStar was an early adopter. 更简单
• 1×32 MPO分离器 为 Passive Optical Networks (PON)
• 1×8 MPO fanouts
• 432-fiber Fiber Distribution Hubs (外籍家庭橱柜)
• Preterminated fiber optic shelves

Various types of OFS fiber are used 为 单模 应用程序 in 外面的工厂 (百)及室内(前提,企业)应用程序. High b和width OM3, OM4 和 OM5 graded-index 多模 optical fibers are designed to support a wide range of short-reach, VCSEL-based 局域网, 中心办公室 和 数据中心 应用程序.

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