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Regional Utility Expands Offerings to Include Telecommunications

Turns to RADirect for Cost Saving Managed Solution Based on Fiber Multiplexers and Chassis

The Empire District Electric Company is an electric utility servicing 154,000 customers in parts of Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Following the 1996 Telecommunications Act, Empire expanded its service offering to include telecommunications, and began to offer high-speed TDM and IP services over its extensive existing fiber infrastructure. For Empire, becoming a “utelco”, or utility that also provides telecommunications services, provided a new revenue stream and increased utilization of their expensive fiber network. Empire’s customers also benefited, as the company’s fiber network covers portions of their region that are not reached by the local telephone company. Even in areas where the incumbent telephone company does have coverage, transmission is typically over interference-prone copper lines, thus making Empire’s fiber a better option for stable connectivity.

AT-A-GLANCE

Challenge: To provide point-to-point and point-to-multipoint T1 services over fiber infrastructure Solution: RAD Data Communications’ Optimux-4T1 fiber multiplexers in LRS-24 managed chassis extend up to 4 T1s over single mode or multimode fiber. Benefits: Centrally managed solution Plug and play Reduces cost of ownership

One of Empire's fastest growing services has been T1 extension to cell-sites in the region. Cellular providers moving to 3G services have an increased need for TDM backhaul capacity, and have been turning to Empire for T1 services at a rapid rate. With restrictive tower costs making it necessary for several cellular operators to operate on the same tower, there is also a need to provide multiple T1 circuits to each location.

Empire had built out its own SONET rings, but providing first mile access to cell-site customers was a challenge. The company had been using unmanaged T1 extenders that were highly complex to set up and manage. For example, unit failure could only be determined and fixed by a technician standing in front of the unit. This unmanaged solution became extremely costly as Empire's cellular customer base grew and any cellular network failure required a site visit by a technician to determine whether the fault was with Empire’s equipment.

Communications Engineer Payton White set out to find a managed solution that would save on technician rollouts. Familiar with RAD Data Communications’ reputation as a ‘more value for your money’ equipment manufacturer, he turned to the knowledgeable systems engineers at RADirect, quickly helped him identify RAD’s LRS-24 managed chassis with Optimux- 4T1 fiber multiplexers as the perfect solution for Empire. White tested the solution, liked what he saw, and purchased the equipment from RADirect. “RAD’s solution is a true plug and play device,” says White. “Our technicians can easily install and manage these units”. To White, the management capabilities of the RAD solution were the biggest selling point. “Now, when a technician gets a midnight call from a customer, he can simply log on to a computer and see whether or not our unit is functioning properly. This has saved us enormous amounts of money on unnecessary truck rollouts.”

With just a couple of chassis extending T1s from the SONET ADM to various customers, Empire saves on prime POP space. The company is pleased not only with the RAD solution, but also with their RADirect purchasing experience, and now continues to purchase additional RAD fiber multiplexers from RADirect as their T1 circuit orders increase. This ‘grow as you go’ approach keeps costs in line with revenue. Most importantly, Empire consistently maintains a profitable TDM services business.