In recent articles we’ve talked about smart home technology for your home and for your garden, but there’s one frontier left to be explored. Trailblazer knows your family often includes a furrier member or two (or more!). And, your pets deserve just as much consideration when it comes to consistent connectivity offered by fiber-powered broadband.
Smart tech isn’t just for people anymore. It can also make life easier for the four-legged members of the family and their humans. New pet owner seeking tools to help you monitor your new charge? Balancing life with a senior cat who needs a little extra attention? Trying to stay connected with a hyper Fido while you’re away? The growing world of smart pet tech has all kinds of solutions for your needs, and Trailblazer has brought you a roundup of some of our favorite recommendations.
Of course, all of these features rely on one thing: a strong, steady home internet connection. With fiber from Trailblazer Broadband, you get the speed and reliability to stream, track, and automate your pet’s routine, without lag, buffering, or dropped signals.
Let’s dive into some of the best smart pet tech available today!
Pet Cameras: See What Your Pets Are Up To
Ever wonder what your dog or cat does all day while you’re out of the house? With a smart pet camera, you can check in anytime from your phone, see what they’re doing in real-time, and even say hello.
EBO Air Movable Pet Robot Camera
This robot camera is ideal for cats or small dogs and it moves around your home. It lets you check on your pets from different angles, record clips, and even interact with them via voice or motion. Better yet, it doesn’t require a subscription for basic features, and it’s small enough to scoot under furniture for those extra-quiet hiding spots.
TP-Link Tapo Indoor Pet Camera
Looking for a more stationary option? This indoor security cam offers crisp HD video, motion detection, two-way talk, and night vision, all for under $40. It’s great for checking in during the day and requires no subscription for core features. It also supports local storage with a micro-SD card, so you don’t need to pay for cloud service. This makes it a budget-friendly option that works well on a reliable WiFi network.
Smart Pet Feeders: Mealtimes Made Easy
Gone are the days of free-feeding or worrying about whether the pet sitter remembered breakfast. With a smart feeder, you can monitor, schedule, and even customize how and when your pet eats.
PETLIBRO Automatic Feeder with App Control
This feeder holds up to 5 pounds of food and lets you schedule measured feedings through an app. You can record a message to play at mealtime and ping your pet with a “meal call” alert. It also sends mobile notifications if the dispenser gets stuck, so you’re not left wondering if your pup ate dinner while you were out.
Want to keep an eye on your pet while they eat? This upgraded version includes a live camera feed, so you can see who’s at the bowl, when, and how often.
Two-Pet Smart Feeder with Dual Dispensers
Perfect for multi-pet households, this feeder dispenses food into two bowls and alerts you when it’s running low—no more empty bowls or guessing who ate what.
Smart Pet Doors: Secure Freedom
Letting your pet in and out throughout the day is easier with a smart door—and thanks to recent innovations, there are now great options for all home types.
Smart doors need dependable WiFi to respond instantly to triggers or app commands. With fiber internet and whole-home WiFi from Trailblazer Broadband, you won’t miss a beat (or a bark).
PetSafe SmartDoor Connected Pet Door
This traditional-looking smart pet door uses a collar-activated SmartKey and connects to your phone via the My PetSafe app. You can monitor in-and-out activity, lock or unlock remotely, and even set a schedule. Got someone stopping by? Lock the door remotely so your dog stays safely inside and out of the way.
SureFlap Microchip Pet Door Connect
This high-tech option scans your pet’s microchip to control access without using any extra collar-mounted tags. It’s great for keeping stray animals (or neighborhood raccoons) out of your home. It mounts in doors, walls, or even glass and connects to your smartphone for easy scheduling and tracking.
Wayzn Smart Sliding Door Opener
If you’ve got a sliding glass door, Wayzn converts it into a smart pet door with no drilling or cutting required. It opens and closes your door automatically when your pet approaches using the optional Wayzn Pet Tag or your smartphone. It’s a great option for large dogs or homes where pet doors just aren’t feasible.
GPS Collars: Keep Track of Your Best Friend
If your pet is an escape artist or loves to explore off-leash, GPS tracking collars offer peace of mind and real-time location updates.
Halo Collar 4
The Halo Collar is more than just a GPS tracker—it’s a virtual fence, training system, and activity monitor in one. Use the app to set safe zones, track your pet in real time, and provide gentle feedback through sound, vibration, or static (customizable to your pet’s training style). It’s waterproof, rechargeable, and comes in fun colors. A subscription plan is required and starts at $9.99 per month, scaling up based on selected features.
Tractive GPS Tracker for Dogs & Cats
A more affordable option that works with major cell networks (so long as you have great cellular coverage), Tractive offers accurate GPS tracking, fitness monitoring, and even bark alerts. With plans starting at around $5/month, it’s a budget-friendly way to always know where your furry friend is.
Tech That Has Your Back
Smart pet tech isn’t about replacing human care; it’s about enhancing it. These tools help you stay connected, informed, and proactive about your pet’s needs, even when life gets busy.
Of course, almost every device mentioned here depends on one key thing: a strong and stable internet connection. Whether it’s a camera stream, a consistent signal for a doggy door, or a smart feeder update, your pet tech can’t perform well on slow or spotty WiFi.
That’s why fiber internet from Trailblazer is the smart choice. Whether it’s monitoring mealtimes, tracking their outdoor adventures, or just checking in for a mid-day tail wag, smart pet gear and a Trailblazer Broadband internet connection make it easier than ever to keep your best friend happy, healthy, and safe.
At Trailblazer, we’re proud to deliver fiber internet that’s faster, more reliable, and more resilient than older technologies. Fiber stands up to rain, snow, wind, and just about everything else Mother Nature throws at it.
But here’s the truth: while fiber is tough, it isn’t bulletproof (and yes, we’ve literally seen fiber shot through). When damage does occur, it almost always comes from external forces beyond our control. Fixing those issues takes time, patience, and careful use of resources.
So, what causes an outage? Let’s break it down.
1. Service Lines: Close to Home
Most outages we see happen not on the main network, but on the service line—the small strand that runs from the curb to your home. These lines are especially vulnerable when they’re exposed.
Think of them as the “last mile” of your connection. And in that last mile, a lot can happen:
- The family dog or curious cat may chew or claw.
- Little ones exploring the yard sometimes tug or pull.
- Wildlife and landscaping equipment can easily bump or damage a line.
The good news? These issues typically affect just one client at a time and are usually easier to fix.
2. Mainlines: The Heavy Lifting
Mainlines are the backbone of the network. A single stretch of fiber can carry service to dozens—or even hundreds—of homes.
Mainline outages tend to happen when:
- Construction crews accidentally hit buried fiber because locates are off or incomplete.
- Excavation work crushes conduit.
- Large equipment knocks down overhead lines.
These types of hits are usually reported right away. Contractors call us immediately, making the damage location easier to find and fix.
3. Wildlife: Nature at Work
Wildlife has a knack for finding ways to test human infrastructure. Across the fiber industry, animals are a surprisingly common culprit:
- Rodents sometimes chew through underground lines where conduit has worn out.
- Ground dwellers sneak into areas where conduit can’t be installed.
- Elk have even pulled down aerial fiber lines while moving through the valley.
But in Estes Valley, the number one wildlife threat is the Northern Flicker woodpecker.
4. The Woodpecker Effect
It may sound funny, but it’s no joke. Woodpeckers peck holes into the top of aerial fiber lines. Even the largest holes may only be the size of a pencil eraser, but they can take down service for up to 144 homes on a single feeder fiber.
Here’s why that’s such a challenge:
- Damage is invisible from the ground—we can’t spot it until service fails.
- Feeder spans can stretch up to 300 feet. A single tiny hole may take hours to locate.
- Temporary cutovers aren’t always possible. When they’re not, crews must splice each strand of the damaged line—thinner than a human hair—individually. With up to 144 strands, that’s painstaking, time-consuming, and costly work.
Whenever possible, we reroute service to temporary lines. Then, once new armored fiber is installed, we schedule a short outage to reconnect everything permanently.
5. Balancing Speed and Stewardship
As a community-owned utility, we’re careful with both time and money. We can’t replace every mile of fiber “just in case.” Instead, we focus resources where damage is confirmed, and we replace with armored fiber to help prevent future problems.
This approach means:
- Repairs may take longer than we’d all like.
- Scheduled outages are sometimes needed to complete permanent fixes.
- Your dollars are being invested wisely, not wasted on unnecessary work.
The Takeaway
Fiber is exceptionally resilient. But when damage does occur—whether from construction, critters, or yes, woodpeckers—it takes careful, skilled work to put it right.
We know outages are frustrating. We don’t like them either. That’s why our crews work around the clock to find, fix, and fortify damaged lines, keeping Estes Valley connected for the long run.
Updated from a previous post from November 2024
As cooler weather approaches, we’re reminded that power outages happen when you least expect them—whether from a storm, a fallen tree, or even a car striking an electrical cabinet. While these outages are often temporary, they can be disruptive, inconvenient, and sometimes even dangerous if you rely on certain electronics.
Thanks to Trailblazer Broadband’s modern fiber network, customers can stay connected and receive outage updates—but only if they have the right backup plan in place. That’s where an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) comes in.
Think of a UPS as a “battery in a box”—a backup power source designed to keep your essential electronics running for anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours during a power outage. While many people think of UPS devices as only being for computers or internet equipment, their value goes far beyond that.
Why a UPS is Essential
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Internet & Communication
Your router and modem need electricity, even if the fiber lines don’t. A UPS keeps your WiFi running so you can stay online, receive outage updates, and keep in touch with loved ones or emergency services.
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Medical Devices
If you or someone in your household depends on equipment such as oxygen concentrators or CPAP machines, a dedicated Medical Device UPS System can provide uninterrupted power and peace of mind.
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Safety & Security
Many home security systems automatically switch to battery backup, but others may need a UPS to keep cameras, alarms, or smart locks powered.
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Everyday Essentials
Laptops, cell phones, and even cordless phones connected to VoIP lines can be kept online with the help of a UPS. Just be mindful—bigger devices like TVs can drain a UPS quickly.
A Real-World Example: Line Galloping Outage
You may recall that in late October 2024, Estes Park experienced a system-wide outage when strong winds and icy conditions caused line galloping on the Western Area Power Administration’s (WAPA) 115kV transmission lines. When the lines collided, protective relays shut them down to prevent damage. Crews from Estes Park Power & Communications, Platte River Power Authority, and WAPA worked quickly, restoring power just after noon.
Events like this remind us: power outages aren’t just “if,” they’re “when.” Having a UPS at home is one of the simplest ways to keep your household prepared.
Choosing the Right UPS
When shopping for a UPS, consider:
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Which devices matter most? (Router, medical equipment, phone charger?)
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How long do you need backup power? (Minutes vs. hours)
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Does the device already have a built-in battery? (Some security and medical systems do.)
UPS models range from affordable units that keep your router running for an hour to more advanced systems that support multiple devices for longer stretches. Check out some popular options here.
Staying Informed During an Outage
Trailblazer Broadband provides tools to keep you connected and informed:
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Public outage maps on our website
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Automated text notifications with updates
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24/7/365 Technical Support at 1-970-577-3770, Option 1
If you don’t have a UPS and lose internet during an outage, simply:
- Check your router once power is restored.
- Restart it if necessary.
- Call our support team if you’re still offline.
Preparedness is Power
At Trailblazer, we work with Estes Park Power and Communications to keep the grid reliable—but we also know that fires, floods, storms, and accidents happen. A UPS gives you control, protecting your connectivity, security, and health even when the lights go out.⚡ Pro tip: Don’t wait for the next storm. Add a UPS to your emergency plan today and stay powered, safe, and connected.
For more resources, visit www.trailblazerbroadband.com or follow us on Facebook for the latest updates. Please note that Trailblazer Broadband and the Town of Estes Park do not promote or recommend any specific products or services. All information and product references are for informational purposes only.
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