After some poking around, I found this gizmo. It says that it can use between 1-8 pairs to power it from the co. If there was already a home run to the co (which is almost certainly true in my case), it seems like that would be a cheaper option? Then you just have one diesel generator at the co that charges the batteries. https://portal.adtran.com/pub/Library/Data_Sheets/International_/I61179918F1... Mike On 10/16/19 12:09 PM, Jeff Shultz wrote:
On Mon, Oct 14, 2019 at 4:26 PM Michael Thomas <mike@mtcc.com> wrote:
On 10/14/19 4:16 PM, Sean Donelan wrote:
On Mon, 14 Oct 2019, Michael Thomas wrote:
Of course this is a lot of conjecture on my part... be glad to be clued in by folks in know. An old news story, but telco's usually have backup batteries in their outside plant, cell towers, etc. During power outages, they shuttle small generators between outside cabinets to re-charge the batteries. Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) use local power, i.e. look for the utility meter nearby. There is often a generator plug and battery cabinet next to the RTU. They aren't powered from the central office. Interesting! And so primitive! So they go to all of the expense of laying fiber, but not power too?
Note: small local telco experience speaking below:
Telco's tend to have experience with fiber, but probably not the construction and transmission of the sort of power plant that would be required to keep a bunch of 48V cabinets up and running reliably. We certainly don't. Besides, an advantage of fiber is that hopefully the copper thieves won't bother it.
By definition a remote terminal/cabinet is going to be... remote. Far more simple to install commercial power, and then haul out a generator if the battery string in the cabinet appears to be in danger of dropping below about 46v.
We do run some 360v DC at micro-amp levels out to equipment like ONT's and remote 12 and 48 port remote VDSLAM's. But that's over existing 24-26 ga. plant. Frequently using multiple pairs to avoid excessive voltage drop over distances.
Primitive is tested and works.