BROADBAND COMMUNITIES is the leading source of information on digital and broadband technologies for buildings and communities. Our editorial aims to accelerate the deployment of Fiber-To-The-Home and Fiber-To-The-Premises.
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MUNICIPAL FTTP DEPLOYMENT SNAPSHOT ONE BURBANK – BURBANK, CALIF. The City of Burbank is maximizing unused assets in its municipal power utility's fber network to ofer ultrahigh-speed connectivity to all city facilities as well as businesses such as media companies transitioning to electronic fle–based production and distribution. ONE Burbank is one reason Burbank remains the "Media Capital of the World." Thanks to John Cassidy and Jim Compton for providing the information for this profle. – BBC Editors L ocated only a few miles northeast of Hollywood and billed as the "Media Capital of the World," Burbank is home to many media and entertainment companies. Te Walt Disney Company, Warner Brothers Entertainment, Warner Music Group, NBC, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network all have headquarters or signifcant production facilities in Burbank. Nestled on the slopes and foothills that rise to the Verdugo Mountains at the eastern end of the San Fernando Valley, Burbank is 17 square miles in size and has 103,340 residents. Burbank began installing fber optic cables in 1986. Te frst fber link connected Burbank Water and Power (BWP), the municipal utility, to the city's information technology department in City Hall. By 1996, Burbank had completely replaced its copper communications circuits with fber. Tis immunized the equipment that protected the electric system from the disabling surges that arise during electric equipment failures – surges that often prevented the protective equipment from doing its job. Fiber improved Burbank's electrical reliability to the high level the city enjoys, and even takes for granted, today. 24 | BROADBAND COMMUNITIES | www.broadbandcommunities.com Te same fber optic network that serves BWP so well also provides fber service to Burbank's major media and entertainment companies. Ever since the BWP fber network was installed, it has been used by the studios to produce movies and television programs and to run their business operations. As well as being an important service to these companies, this fber optic service generates revenues that allow BWP to provide highly reliable electric service with no impact on rates. | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013