Utilizing Base Data in FOND Planner for Efficient Fiber Optic Network Design

Accurate and comprehensive address and route data are crucial for the data collection phase of building a fiber network. The quality of a fiber optic network design depends significantly on the quality of the data used to design it. This article explains how FOND Planner aids in obtaining and utilizing address and route data to design your network effectively. 

Getting Your Hands Dirty (with Data) 

The FOND Planner geospatial database includes approximately: 

• 35 million street centerline features 

• 53 million address features 

Readily available for use.  This data can be easily accessed using FOND Planner’s Area Select feature: simply select the area you wish to design, and then click the Import button as shown here. 

The data available through Area Select includes: 

• Route data (street centerlines) for the USA and Canada. 

• Address data derived from land parcel data for US counties and populous areas of Canada. 

This makes obtaining data for your next FOND Planner project straightforward: there’s no need to hunt down your own address and route data, puzzle out any obscure data schemas, or purchase additional data from a provider. 

Single vs Dual-Sided 

A key decision for route data in FOND Planner is choosing between single-sided (street centerlines) and dual-sided route. 

An example of single-sided underground path is shown below: 

On the other hand, the same area using dual-sided underground path looks like: 

 Choosing between single or dual-sided route can be challenging. A dual-sided network is more complex and time-consuming to design than a single-sided one, but it offers a more detailed and granular design. 

In general, a single-sided route is an excellent default choice for Feasibility Designs. However, if you plan to invest more time in designing an area, a dual-sided route might be a better option. 

Address Data and Demand Modeling 

Deciding how addresses will be served in your network is another critical consideration. This usually involves categorizing address data into common groups, such as: 

• SFU: Single family residences, 

• DPX: Residential duplexes, 

• SMDU: Small residential multi dwelling units...and so on. 

The Area Select data in FOND Planner is categorized into 14 different address types. The Demand Model can then be used to configure how each of these different address types are served in your network. For example: 

The Demand Model is not limited to data from Area Select, it also supports the address data you upload. If you’ve already categorized your address data, then FOND Planner can utilize it to design your network.