Upgrade To Fiber-optics Requires Some New Poles In Abingdon, Va.

ABINGDON, Va. – Work on power lines around town is adding new, taller poles to make room for expanded services from Bristol Virginia Utilities, officials said Wednesday.

"We are upgrading or replacing poles to accommodate Bristol Utilities installation of fiber-optic cable in our area," said Todd Burns, a spokesman Appalachian Power.

"There are safety code specifications for how high the cable must be from the ground, and the distance between the cable and the phone line, and the distance between the phone and our facilities, and sometimes to get enough distance between the facilities, we indeed have to replace poles."

On Wednesday, a crew from Pike Electric was working at Thompson Drive and Boone Street performing what Supervisor Terry Gilbert referred to as "pole changeouts" for the power company.

Foreman Ed Crabtree pointed out the equipment being used ensures the power stays on while the work is being done. He said most of the new poles are about 5 feet taller than the old ones.

"That’s part of our expansion of our OptiNet services that we’ve talked about in several board meetings," said BVU President Wes Rosenbalm.

OptiNet is a telecommunications network owned by BVU that provides access to Internet, telephone and cable TV services. The new lines are part of a BVU effort to expand services in Abingdon and Washington County, Va.

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