We don’t think in terms of limitations at Clearfield. In fact, we believe we can bring fiber anywhere. Sure, we deploy in the major cities, municipalities and MDU’s that get all the news coverage. But we take particular pride in blazing new trails in those hard-to-reach areas.
Our pioneer spirit is in evidence in the photos above. That’s Clearfield Director of Engineering Brian Larson and Continuation Engineer Frank Lowry posed with our FieldSmart Fiber Scalability Center (FSC) PON 576 Cabinet and the 1152 — affectionately known as “The Mother.” (The cabinet, not the guys.) Brian and Frank are standing just outside of Finland, MN (pop. 195), which happens to be the gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA).
A few short years ago, it would have been hard to fathom bringing broadband capabilities to such a remote and rustic location. Today, with the advancements in communication and the great work of rural telcos everywhere, it’s a snap. (That may be a slight exaggeration. But today it’s not only fathomable, it’s expected.)
Solving for X
With the wide expanse of outdoors, you might even think it’s less exacting work to bring Fiber to the Wilderness. The truth is, it takes more. There are a lot of issues that have to be weighed to ensure success. And, of course, we want to be sure we are protective of the pristine wilderness at all times. So, we do the math.
As you may recall from past math classes, when you were asked to “Solve for X,” there are usually several ways to get to X. Most often, simplifying the equation is the best way to get your answer.
We find that’s still best. Back in 2007, we simplified the equation and listened to customers who were asking for flexibility and scalability – 12 ports at a time. That’s how the Clearview Cassette was born. After that, we applied our math skills to solve the challenge to create fiber pathway products that were easy-to-install, provide the same level of fiber protection, and were scalable and repeatable. That’s how our FieldShield product line was born.
When it comes to deploying Fiber to the Wilderness, Solving for X isn’t just about products. It’s about a design methodology. Again, we simplify the equation to ensure that each deployment, like the one in the BWCA, is the right solution for that challenge.
For Clearfield, a product methodology (X) that equals flexibility and scalability is where we start every network equation. Even in the wilderness.