Hexatronic and Kansas Fiber Network Light up Kansas City

Hexatronic teamed up with Kansas Fiber Network (KFN) to provide a 130-mile fiber optic ring around Kansas City Metropolitan area and also connect to a newly built hyperscale data center.  The installation included a combination of a greenfield build of new microducts and micro cables and a brownfield installation of overpulling microducts over existing ducts to maximize the number of cables. This became the largest project to date for Kansas Fiber Network. 

This video demonstrates the advantages of microducts and micro cables from Hexatronic including: providing a “one dig” scenario; futureproofing the network with scalability; installing advanced fiber products that minimize cost and labor; reducing transportation costs; and also providing onsite training and support to KFN.  “One of the biggest considerations for us and for right-of-way owners that we work with is the ‘dig once’ philosophy, states Brian Cornish, Director of Outside Plant for KFN.  “Right-of-way owners really want utilities with one install that installs enough capacity where they don’t have to go back in and overbuild their facilities like in a year or two or three years. Microducts allow us to leverage our installation dollars where we can install multiple ducts and have plenty of capacity for the future,” he adds. 

In addition, with the reduced weight of materials, KFN recognized the additional sustainability benefits in selecting Hexatronic microduct solution as the transportation costs from the factory to the field are greatly reduced.  “Some of our customers ask what we are doing to address climate change and sustainability, so this is a big asset to us,” adds Cornish. “We have to dig up the earth to install ducts. But, if we can say, that we are using a product that uses a reduced amount of raw materials and reduced fuel to get the products delivered and out in the field, that really gives us a leg up when we are pitching our solutions to customers,” he further explains. 

Hexatronic (www.hexatronic.com) is a leading global supplier for all passive fiber optic infrastructure components, which employs a complete air blown fiber system versus traditional fiber optic cabling.   Using micro cabling systems for access networks better utilizes appropriated funding by reducing CAPEX and OPEX, and at the same time significantly reduces the impact on the environment. Blown fiber micro cabling technology is quickly becoming the preferred system solution for access networks based on bandwidth requirements, speed of deployment, network flexibility, future scalability, and of course, the lowest total cost of ownership.  When compared to traditional fiber cabling, micro cabling systems provide a much higher return on investment (ROI) due to reduction in material costs, as well as the overall lower cost in labor capitalized by drastic reduction in installation time.

Kansas City Fiber, which was chartered in 2009 as a statewide fiber network, has grown into a major regional infrastructure provider, and provides fiber-fast internet access and data transport to primarily access carriers and enterprises in the Midwest region. The company is headquartered in Kansas City, MO (www.ksfiber.net).  As a result of this project, Hexatronic and KFN became strategic partners in fiber optic installations. “From day one, when we connected with Hexatronic, there was this true partnering spirit that came to the table. It really complemented one of our core values at KFN, because we always like to be easy to business with,” states Jerry Kaufmann, director of Business Development for Kansas Fiber Network.