Dark Fiber
Overview
What It Is
Frontier's Unbundled ("UNE") Dark Fiber consists of a spare, continuous, fiber optic strand between two accessible terminals within an existing, terminated Verizon fiber optic cable sheath. UNE Dark Fiber is unlit and has no fiber optic transmission equipment (e.g. intermediate repeaters) attached. UNE Dark Fiber consists of two fiber strands (i.e. one pair).
How It Works
UNE Dark Fiber is subject to availability where in-place spare facilities exist. It is accessed only at existing accessible terminals, such as industry-standard fiber distribution frames or panels.
As of March 11, 2005, Frontier is only required to provide:
- UNE Dark Fiber Transport services along "impaired routes."
Detailed ordering information can be found under "Dark Fiber Order Process."
Description
Frontier's UNE Dark Fiber IOF consists of a continuous fiber optic strand between two accessible terminals within an existing, terminated Verizon fiber optic cable sheath. The dark fiber is unlit and has no fiber optic transmission equipment (e.g. intermediate repeaters) attached. UNE Dark Fiber consists of two fiber strands (i.e. one pair).
UNE Dark Fiber IOF is available between a CLEC's collocation arrangements within two Verizon Central Offices, except between "non-impaired COs" 
in accordance with the FCC's Triennial Review Remand Order ("TRRO") effective as of March 11, 2005.
Frontier shall provide CLECs with access to UNE Dark Fiber IOF in accordance with, but only to the extent required by, applicale law.
Frontier shall perform all work necessary to install a cross connect or a fiber jumper, including, but not limited to, the work necessary to connect UNE Dark Fiber to a fiber distribution frame.
Verizon Unbundled Dark Fiber Limitations
UNE Dark Fiber IOF will only be provided on a contractual basis or under a state tariff. Access to UNE Dark Fiber at a Frontier premises requires collocation and optical cross-connects. For information about the ASR process, please review the Interconnection section on the Web.
Frontier will provide access to UNE Dark Fiber IOF on a first-come, first-served basis where in-place, spare facilities exist at the time the CLEC submits a complete and accurate ASR.
Frontier will not construct new or additional facilities and will not introduce new splice points to satisfy requests for UNE Dark Fiber.
Reservations for UNE Dark Fiber are not accepted, unless specific requests are made for parallel provisioning (see Dark Fiber Order Process) or unless a CLEC's ICA or relevant amendment includes fiber reservations. UNE Dark Fiber can only be accessed at existing hard termination points (e.g., industry-standard fiber distribution frames or panels or a CLEC's collocation arrangement in a Frontier Central Office).
Availability
UNE Dark Fiber is subject to availability where in-place spare facilities exist. It is accessed only at existing accessible terminals, such as industry-standard fiber distribution frames or panels.
As of March 11, 2005, Frontier is only required to provide:
- UNE Dark Fiber Transport services along "impaired routes."
Detailed ordering information can be found under "Dark Fiber Order Process."
Pricing
Frontier will commence billing applicable Non Recurring Charges and monthly rates for Unbundled Dark Fiber upon completion of the service order.
Please see your tariffs or your Interconnection Agreement (ICA) for detailed information.
Features
Optional Engineering Services
Upon request, and subject to time and materials charges to be quoted by Frontier, Verizon may provide the following Optional Engineering Services to CLEC's to facilitate ordering decisions:
Prior to any provisioning of UNE Dark Fiber circuits
Routine Network Modifications (RNM)
Upon request, Verizon may provide routine network modifications, subject to time and material charges to be quoted by Frontier, as are necessary to permit access by CLEC to Dark Fiber Transport facilities available, where the facility has already been constructed.
Routine network modifications applicable to Dark Fiber Transport may include, but are not limited to, splicing of in-place dark fiber at existing splice points; accessing manholes; deploying bucket trucks to reach aerial cable; and routine activities, if any, needed to enable CLEC to light a Dark Fiber Transport facility that it has obtained from Frontier under the Amended Agreement.
Routine network modifications do not include the construction of a new Transport facilities, trenching, the pulling of cable, the installation of new aerial, buried, or underground cable for a requesting telecommunications carrier, or the placement of new cable. Frontier shall not be required to perform any routine network modifications to any facility that is or becomes a Discontinued Facility.
To request a RNM, the CLEC must complete and forward the Dark Fiber Engineering Services Form - (found under Dark Fiber Order Process) to the Frontier Service Delivery Engineer (SDE) or National Account Care Center (NACC), who in turn will request a RNM from Frontier Engineering. The Engineer will ascertain the scope and cost of the work to be performed and provide the quote directly to the CLEC. Once advanced payment and the signed letter of intent are received, an Engineer Work Order (EWO) will be prepared directing the appropriate technician(s) to perform the RNM requested.
Field Survey Request
There are two types of Field Surveys that a CLEC can request to verify the accuracy of Frontier's response to an UNE Dark Fiber Inquiry.
- Field Survey Request for Transmission Test: When Frontier's response to an UNE Dark Fiber inquiry is positive (UNE Dark Fiber is available), the CLEC can request a Field Survey to verify UNE Dark Fiber is available and have Verizon perform a transmission test to provide the CLEC with the actual transmission characteristics of the requested UNE Dark Fiber.
- Field Survey Request for Fiber Records: When Frontier's response to an UNE Dark Fiber inquiry is negative (UNE Dark Fiber is not available), the CLEC can request a Field Survey to have Verizon physically verify the accuracy Frontier's fiber records.
To request a Field Survey, the CLEC must complete and forward the Dark Fiber Engineering Services Form - (found under Dark Fiber Order Process) to the Frontier Service Delivery Engineer (SDE), who in turn will request a Field Survey from Frontier Engineering. The Engineer will ascertain the scope and cost of the work to be performed and provide the quote directly to the CLEC.
After the provisioning of UNE Dark Fiber circuits
Connector Cleaning & Retrofitting
Frontier shall not be obligated to make UNE Dark Fiber conform to any industry standards. After a CLEC has ordered and accepted the UNE Dark Fiber, the CLEC can request Verizon perform the following basic engineering services in an effort to improve the transmission characteristics of the UNE Dark Fiber which shall be performed on a time and material basis. Such work shall include and be limited to the following:
- Replace older connectors with new connectors, unless there is a risk that the replacement will disrupt existing fiber optic services.
- Clean connectors to remove non-imbedded contaminants.
Verizon does not warrant or guarantee that these services will provide the desired improvements in the transmission characteristics to meet the CLEC's design criteria.
Frontier will not perform engineering services if there is any risk of disrupting existing fiber optic services. As standard business practice calls for all connectors in a ribbon to be retrofitted at the same time, the CLEC will be charged for each connector changed on the ribbon on a time & material basis.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Frontier shall not be obligated to modify the transmission characteristics of UNE Dark Fiber to satisfy the transmission objectives of the CLEC.
Detailed ordering information can be found under 'Dark Fiber Order Process.'
CLEC Requirements
The CLEC is responsible for ensuring that appropriate cross-connects and POT Bay termination are in place prior to submitting an order for UNE Dark Fiber (except under parallel provisioning).
If the CLEC's collocation arrangement was not established with fiber cross connects, the CLEC is responsible for augmenting its collocation arrangement with the proper cross connects before it submits an order for UNE Dark Fiber (except under parallel provisioning).
UNE Dark Fiber must terminate at a CLEC collocation arrangement at a Frontier Central Office.
The CLEC is responsible for determining whether the transmission characteristics of the UNE Dark Fiber provided by Frontier will accommodate its requirements.
The CLEC is responsible for providing all transmission, terminating and regeneration equipment necessary to light and use UNE Dark Fiber to provide telecommunications services traffic.
The CLEC is responsible for obtaining any governmental or private property permit, easement or other authorization or approval required for access to UNE Dark Fiber.
The CLEC is responsible for establishing applicable fiber optic transmission equipment needed to power UNE Dark Fiber in order to transmit telecommunications traffic.
The CLEC assumes all risks associated with future splices on UNE Dark Fiber.
The CLEC may not resell UNE Dark Fiber to third parties
Verizon Requirements
Verizon does not guarantee or make any warranty with respect to the accuracy or completeness of its cable records.
UNE Dark Fiber, where available, conformed to those Verizon standard transmission characteristics in place at the time the fiber was installed.
Frontier will not re-terminate or re-splice fibers in order to improve transmission characteristics.
Verizon does not guarantee or make any warranty that the transmission characteristics of UNE Dark Fiber will remain constant over time.
At a collocation arrangement, Frontier will place a jumper cable connecting the UNE Dark Fiber on the Frontier fiber distribution frame to the previously installed fiber cross-connect cable to the CLEC's POT Bay.
Verizon personnel will perform all required provisioning work using current Verizon approved methods.
Frontier reserves the right to petition the appropriate regulatory bodies for relief from its obligation to provide UNE Dark Fiber if it believes that a CLEC request would strand an unreasonable amount of fiber capacity or would result in service disruption or degradation of service to other customers.
In the event Verizon must perform emergency cable restoration to its own facilities, all efforts will be made to restore the CLEC's leased UNE Dark Fiber pairs in the same manner as other fibers in the same cable sheath using Verizon standard restoration procedures.
UNE Dark Fiber will be offered to a CLEC on the condition that it is available in Frontier's network at the time that CLEC submits its request. Frontier shall not be required to convert lit fiber to UNE Dark Fiber for CLEC's use.
UNE Dark Fiber is not available across LATA boundaries.
