Small Cell Fiber Design

CobbFendley has worked with SmartLink, as a part of the AT&T Mobility Project Team to provide small cell FTTT fiber design for Utah statewide since 2008. CobbFendley was responsible for the engineering, design and permitting for Small Cell sites within the state of Utah. This included managing the design of fiber optic cable and secondary power spans to each site, fronthaul fiber to connect nodes within a cluster and backhaul fiber to their respective Macro Cell Towers. CobbFendley reviewed engineered drawing for proposed antenna poles and the technical specifications of the small cell equipment to be housed within an equipment shroud. CobbFendley verified that the proposed small cell configurations would be permittable based on local power company and municipal design standards.

An analysis of the proposed locations of small cells was conducted to ensure construction feasibility and adherence with zoning requirements to include FAA/FCC, and locally appointed management and design jurisdictions. A route study was conducted for the fiber optic cable from HUB/Macro Towers to individual small cell sites within a cluster. CobbFendley coordinated with local power providers to produce a feasibility study for providing secondary power drops to sites and determined the need for design of proposed electrical cable to each site’s meter location. CobbFendley was also responsible for coordinating the field survey of poles for aerial pole line attachments and proofing of underground ducts to be utilized for pulling fiber optic cable through. This data was then processed into a comprehensive low-level design and CADD drawings were created for permitting. CobbFendley worked with electric design teams in performing structural pole loading analyses based off collected pole survey data, and in turn, produce pole attachment applications for permitting.

To maintain the project’s budget, we planned cost saving measures such as utilizing existing duct and implementing cable plowing as a construction method along rural UDOT highways. Cable plowing is an alternate to trenching or boring that utilizes a plow system to excavate and bury cable. This construction method is ideal for shallower digs as it provides minimal disruption to the landscape. Early on, we identified and established areas where the vegetation was dense in order to use the most cost effective and productive construction measures.

CobbFendley coordinated with several regulatory agencies for permits including:

• UDOT – Region 1 – 4
• South Jordan Canal, East Jordan Canal, Salt Lake County Flood Control
• Counties – Weber, Davis, Utah, Salt Lake, Summit, Wasatch, Morgan, Sanpete, Millard, Juab, Emery, Garfield, Cache, Duchesne, Box Elder, Beaver, Carbon, Washington, Kane, Sevier.
• Salt Lake City, Murray, Midvale, Sandy, Draper, South Jordan, South Salt Lake, Cottonwood Heights, Emigration Canyon, Herriman, Holladay, Kearns, Millcreek, Riverton, Taylorsville, West Jordan, West Valley, Payson, Santaquin, Spanish Fork, Salem, Lehi, Eagle Mountain, Orem, Provo, Pleasant Grove, Springville, Orangeville, Castle Dale, Panquitch, Cedar City, Nephi, Levan, Mona, Park City, Kamas, American Fork, Heber, Midway, St George, Hurricane, Roy, Corrine, Ogden, South Ogden, Bountiful, Hanksville, Price, Layton, Roosevelt, Logan, Tooele, Bluffdale.
• Union Pacific Rail Road, UTA
• BLM, USACE, BNSF
• Pacificorp (Rocky Mountain Power)
• Dominion Energy

The safety of our crews and future maintenance crews is our top priority, therefore we strategically placed splice points in locations away from traffic.