Schuler Homes builds all-fiber-optic-cabled housing development near San Francisco
The first housing development in California to deliver telephone, digital television and Internet access to every home over a direct high-speed fiber optic cable is now under construction by Hawaii-headquartered Schuler Homes.
A consortium of companies including Competisys Corp., Irvine; Paradigm Integration, Tracy; and SmartAMERICA Development Corp., Santa Cruz, will enable the transmission and distribution of these broadband services to the Schuler development, Poppy Meadows in American Canyon, Calif., announced David Hurley, SmartAMERICA vice president of sales and marketing, and Dan Baker, vice president of marketing for Competisys.
The fiber optic cabling infrastructure is being built by Competisys, which was recently granted a Broadband Systems License Agreement by the City of American Canyon to provide voice, video and data services.
Fundamental to the concept being deployed at the Schuler Homes development is the ability of the developer to realize an ongoing, post-sale revenue stream from the broadband services delivered to the individual homes by Competisys over its fiber network.
Poppy Meadows is a 140-home development in the City of American Canyon -- a community of about 10,000. At the Poppy Meadows homes, the fiber optic cabling terminates in an Ethernet Network Interface Device (NID), which is integrated to a SmartAMERICA HomeBoxx, hub of the "home run" configured CAT5/CAT5e structured wiring infrastructure solution by Paradigm Integration Inc. SmartAMERICA's HomeBoxx serves as the convergence point for all inbound/outbound voice and data traffic, as well as provides homeowners with the ability to upgrade their residences with home automation control modules for security, heating/air conditioning, entertainment, lighting, appliance control and irrigation systems.
According to City Manager Mark Joseph, the City of American Canyon has now adopted a policy that mandates fiber optic cabling infrastructure for all future housing developments in American Canyon. As part of its agreement with the city, Competisys is also providing fiber optic interconnection to all city buildings and community schools. Joseph stated that he expects the city to nearly double in size over the next 10 years with about 3,000 additional homes being built. About two-thirds of these will be fiber-enabled, with the balance consisting of homes that were permitted prior to establishment of the fiber mandate. Some of these developers may opt for the fiber infrastructure as well, he said.
About SmartAMERICA:
SmartAMERICA Development Corp. and its parent company, SmartWORLD Ltd., develop Residential Gateways and Home Automation Controllers.
About Competisys:
Competisys Corp. integrates energy and direct fiber-optic broadband solutions for new residential and commercial properties, as well as cities, by providing telephone, television, Internet, gas and electric services. For more information, visit www.competisys.com.
About Paradigm Integration:
Paradigm Integration Inc. is a residential systems integrator that focuses on bringing home automation and integrated Internet capabilities to the mass market in anticipation of the growth in residential offices and telecommuting.