Fiber Optics Project

Recently Penn Estates has installed a two mile run of fiber optic cabling. This project has been a long time coming and the fruits of this project have been immediate. Currently the 31 cameras located throughout the community are running in real time. Three of our five cable modems will be disconnected at an approximate savings of $200 “per modem” “per month”.

We are presently backfilling the trench. Once that is complete we will be topping it with material suitable for walking (just short of asphalt). This will be the initial stage of the walking trail along Penn Estates Drive.

Some of the benefits of switching to fiber-optic communications for Penn Estates:

* Bandwidth: all of our current applications require more bandwidth then the present provider will give us. The main problem is the upload speed not download.
* Uptime: Since fiber-optics aren’t affected by weather or electrical interference we can maintain a network with at least a 98% uptime compared with today’s network that has monthly outages and even more during thunderstorm season.
* Additional project functionality: additional projects that can be performed with all the features of the fiber-optics include: better response from gate card readers, ability to issue long term guest passes and maintain them from the welcome center, complete campus phone system with ability to transfer calls between admin, Public Safety, maintenance, ARB, etc. Emergency phones at the lake and pool with instant access to Public Safety and FREE wireless internet access for all Penn Estates members at both the lake and pool.

I’m sure you will see there are great benefits to the community in both long term cost savings as well as features that with directly benefit all members of our community.