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.