Kinetic announced on May 9 that it has invested an estimated $2 million to acquire more than 50 small drop plows, which it will use to reduce the impact of fiber installation on neighborhood and homeowner landscapes.
This Residential Plow or “Resi-Plow” method employed by Kinetic reportedly addresses challenges associated with upgrading fiber optic availability in established neighborhoods with existing landscaping.
In a press release, Mike Skudin, senior director of construction optimization at Kinetic, explained how the method works.
“In the past,” said Skudkin, “fiber optic cable installation methods have typically required larger construction machines and materials, more open trenches, and more time. Our Resi-Plow technology, however, introduces fiber optic cable into the ground through an incredibly small tube micro-duct—about the size of a crayon—significantly reducing the impact on established areas and landscapes. Traditional cable and duct used within a subdivision can weigh up to 400 pounds per 1,000 feet, whereas the miniaturized fiber optic cable and micro-duct laid by our drop plows weigh just 40 pounds per 1,000 feet. The smaller material leads to smaller transportation and construction vehicles and equipment.”
The method also reportedly enables quicker repairs and minimizes downtime in the event of fiber optic cable damage.
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Hayden Beeson
Hayden Beeson is a writer and editor with over seven years of experience in a variety of industries. Prior to joining Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, he was the associate editor of Architectural SSL and LEDs Magazine.