Sprint Nextel manual Unbundled Dark Fiber Product Overview

Unbundled Dark Fiber

Product Overview

Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF) is unlit fiber optic cable strands between two points in the Sprint network. UDF is an existing, single-continuous transmission path that terminates on a Sprint Fiber Patch Panel (FPP). UDF can be between two Sprint wire centers, between a Sprint wire center and the end-user premises or between a Sprint wire center and an appropriate Outside Plant (OSP) structure such as a digital loop carrier or a hub in a cabinet. UDF can also be provided between two OSPs or between an OSP and the end-user premises.

The availability of UDF allows a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) to construct its facilities using existing spare Sprint optical fiber between locations. With the proper electronics, UDF offers unlimited bandwidth availability. Use of a high-speed backbone allows aggregation of lower speed traffic, which saves on plant investment. However, Sprint does not make any representations as to the transmission capability of these facilities.

UDF consists of the following elements:

•Interoffice Facility: This element provides a route between two existing Sprint wire centers.

•Loop: This element provides a route between a Sprint wire center and end-user premises.

•Subloop: This element provides a portion of an existing UDF Loop. A subloop terminating in an OSP is designated as feeder fiber. Subloop from a FPP in a remote OSP location to another remote OSP location or end-user premises is designated as distribution fiber.

Unbundled Dark Fiber can also be a combination of these elements. The CLEC must submit a Bona Fide Request (BFR) for an element not listed.

Sprint offers UDF via optical cross-connect or fiber jumper from the Sprint FPP to a collocated CLEC FPP. Sprint will provide UDF where it is both available and accessible for the dedicated transport and unbundled loop network elements. Additional splicing of fiber strands is not an element of this product offering, but is available on an individual case basis (ICB) from Sprint. Sprint provides UDF to a CLEC in increments of a single strand.

The CLEC will be required to submit a Dark Fiber Application with the application fee to their local account manager. The application process will verify the availability of the requested route, provide price quote information and reserve the requested dark fiber route for 10 business days. For additional information to initiate the process refer to the Requirements section of this guide.