Providing the best internet available throughout the beautiful Panther, Tiger, and Mission Lakes areas!
Project Information is up to date as of October 3, 2023.
The TriLakes Fiberhood will construct a ready-to-connect open-access fiber optic network to serve the citizens of Panther, Tiger, and Mission Lakes with unlimited, symmetrical, gigabit broadband. At the completion of this project, fiber distribution will be constructed along existing pole lines and available at the road. Customers will then be able to submit an application to get their home or business connected to the network so they can turn up world-class internet, HDTV, and voice services.
Project Partners & Funding
This project is made possible in partnership with PUD 3’s Fiberhood program and the Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB). PUD 3 was awarded a grant and loan to construct this network in May 2019. PUD 3 intends to meet the requirements of the grant to have substantial completion of the fiber distribution network by November 2023.
Many Steps to Getting Connected
We understand that you likely wish you were connected already. Extending fiber networks to rural, unserved areas like yours is a very difficult, costly, and time consuming endeavor. If it was easy, a private for-profit company would have done it already! There are many, many communities throughout Mason County that are in similar broadband-deserts, without access to adequate internet. PUD 3 staff has to tell many inquiring customers every day that we are not in a position to serve them right now. Thankfully, your community’s story is different! You have done your part to rally your neighbors and express interest in PUD 3’s Fiberhood program. Now, it’s our turn to do the heavy lifting. Don’t worry, PUD 3’s teams are experts in this process! About 3,000 homes and businesses around Mason County, in some of the hardest to reach areas, are now connected to the fiber optic network. We are working through our long construction queues and turning up new neighborhoods every month or so.
8 Steps to a PUD 3 Fiber Connection
Here is a quick overview of the 8 Steps to a PUD 3 Fiber Connection.
- Pre-Construction Engineering – Engineers create designs to upgrade poles where needed to make-ready for the installation of new fiber facilities.
- Make Ready Crew – Linemen and PUD 3 crews replace and install poles where needed to provide an overhead path for the new fiber optic cables.
- Telecom Engineering – During the Pre-Construction Engineering, a Telecom Designer designs the construction maps and estimates the supplies and equipment needed. This is a very technical process to ensure there is enough fiber for each existing parcel, and room for growth as the neighborhood develops. This step also includes identifying a location and installing a fiber distribution hut and creating a safe pull-off for PUD 3 crews to work at the hut.
- Main Line Fiber Crew – An internal fiber crew then installs the main fiber-optic cables and the service terminals in the neighborhood.
- Splicing Crew – Splicers must join the newly installed cables together with a high-tech fiber fusion machine. This work will be performed by a contracted group. Sometimes this phase can seem to take a long time because the work occurs in a box van and is less visible than the installation of new infrastructure such as poles or fiber cable.
- Service Drop Designer – Once the mainline construction and splicing are complete, we will solicit service applications from those within the Fiberhoods. A PUD 3 designer will work with each property owner to plan the best path to the home and review requirements prior to connection to the network.
- Fiber Gateway Install Crew – The PUD 3 installation crew completes the install of the service line and attaches a fiber gateway to the exterior of the home.
- Pick a Provider – With PUD 3’s open access fiber network, a number of retail service providers can deliver unlimited, symmetrical, gigabit internet (1000/1000 Mbps), HDTV, and/or phone services to your home over the single fiber optic cable. Shop around to get the best deal! If you’re not happy with one, pick another and utilize the same fiber line installed by PUD 3.
So, Which Step Are We At Now?
Our Operations crews completed the make-ready construction and the installation of fiber mainline! We hired a contractor to splice and test the newly installed cable in August 2023. We anticipate being able to accept applications for connection to the network in November or December 2023.
Mission Lake Fiberhood
Construction work orders have been written and our contractor completed the underground conduit and vault infrastructure that will be used for our fiber distribution main-line and future electrical conduit for system enhancement and increased reliability. We are in the process of securing easements in a couple areas prior to fully completing our construction. We anticipate the majority of construction will be completed by the end of 2023.
Project Limitations – Tiger Lake Terrace
PUD 3’s goal is to connect as many customers as possible, as quickly and as safely as possible. This means that the larger overall project has been broken into multiple phases. For example, if you’re in the Tiger Lake Terrace area (Dogwood, Bella Vista, Laurel, and Daly Drive), your power is underground and we don’t have existing fiber conduit in your street. Therefore, once we complete the main distribution network at Tiger and Panther Lakes, we will have to come together with the community and Mason County Public Works to discuss options to bring the fiber to your homes. Don’t worry, fiber capacity has been reserved and dedicated for each parcel- we just need to establish a plan, create engineering designs, and then perform construction to get it to you. If you’re in these areas listed above, that’s when you’ll be able to get connected.
Covid Impacts
COVID-19 has brought additional challenges in forecasting and executing construction projects throughout the world. PUD 3 is no exception to these impacts caused by COVID-19. For example, the raw materials used to construct our fiber network ranging from fiber optic cable, distribution terminals, pole attachment hardware, splice enclosures, vaults, pedestals, conduit, and the electronic gateway components that we install at each premise have been impacted at the manufacturing and distribution levels. We have been (and are currently) experiencing supply-chain delays impacting several of these items. We are doing everything possible to secure these needed materials to keep construction moving forward. See the latest information on the supply chain issues that we are experiencing.
Additionally, labor resources have been impacted due to COVID-19. This, unfortunately, has caused construction times to increase due to absenteeism when a person gets infected, or has been in close contact with someone who is infected.
Please understand that we are working though these challenges diligently to keep projects on track in the most efficient manner possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Customers should be prepared for construction activity, increased road traffic, possible lane closures, and noise. The PUD will be using a contractor for the project, so residents may notice work vehicles that do not have the familiar PUD logo on them. However, rest assured, PUD employees will be on-site overseeing the activities at each step of the way.
We do ask residents to practice safe driving and social distancing around construction zones for worker safety. During construction, there may be a need to take short outages to ensure the line workers’ safety. If that is necessary, affected customers will be notified in advance.
Since this is part of a grant the PUD was awarded to extend its fiber optic network to an underserved area, the PUD must use a contractor to fulfill a portion of the grant's requirements. All work is overseen by PUD personnel.
Honestly, probably not as soon as you would like. This very large project will take time to design and construct, with many phases in several different neighborhoods throughout your area. Once we have the designs completed, we will install conduit at the road; then bring it to your home; then install the fiber optic cable in it and splice every strand together; then test each strand throughout the whole network; then install the gateway at your home. Describing it is the easy part. As you’ll see, it will take many skilled craftsmen many dedicated, hardworking hours to get this lasting, future-proof network built. You can see a high-level overview of the process in our 8 Steps to a PUD 3 Fiber Connection video.
We see Fiberhood customers getting unlimited, symmetrical, uncapped internet at 1000/1000 Mbps for about $85 per month. HDTV and phone services are additional. However, PUD 3’s fiber network is unique. It is an “open access” network, which means that you, as the end user, can select from a number of different retail internet service providers and their packages. These providers deliver the service over the single PUD 3 fiber optic cable and they bill you directly. If you want to switch, it’s easy - and you don’t need a new connection to your home.
The CERB grant and loan covered a significant portion of the network construction and allowed us to consider the your area for fiber expansion, but it does not cover all of the expenses. The Fiberhood costs cover the remainder as well as a portion of the operating costs of the network into the future.
You don’t have to get connected now. We will dedicate fibers to each parcel at the road. However, if and/or when you change your mind, you will be added to the queue and have to wait your turn. Sometimes that can be months. It’s best to submit your application for fiber connection as soon as we announce it is available. Only customers who are connected to the network and actively taking services pay the Fiberhood Construction Adder.
The Fiberhood program covers most scenarios. However, each property may have unique challenges that we may not be able to accommodate. A customer may need to provide trenching and restoration for a portion on their private property; or a conduit pathway under a landscaped area, driveway, or sidewalk; or perhaps may need to permit the use of an aerial installation. Our engineering team are well versed in identifying great solutions to get homes connected to fiber and to help customers find a path that works for them.
Fiberhoods are the bedrock of PUD 3’s fiber expansion program. Learn more about Fiberhoods. The Cloquallum Communities area does not need to sign up to reach the 75% goal: you’re already under construction!