Sprint Nextel Unbundled Dark Fiber - Manual (Page 3)

Unbundled Dark Fiber
10/02 Version 1  Copyright 2002 Sprint Communications Company
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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.