{"id":18032,"date":"2025-08-26T13:23:54","date_gmt":"2025-08-26T19:23:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zayo.com\/?post_type=resources&#038;p=18032"},"modified":"2025-08-26T13:24:58","modified_gmt":"2025-08-26T19:24:58","slug":"you-think-building-long-haul-fiber-is-easy-let-me-tell-you-a-story","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/fr\/resources\/you-think-building-long-haul-fiber-is-easy-let-me-tell-you-a-story\/","title":{"rendered":"You Think Building Long-Haul Fiber Is Easy? Let Me Tell You a Story."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h4 class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-73380253 gb-headline-text\">By Jason Jorgensen, Senior Vice President, Long Haul Deployment&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So you want to build a long-haul fiber route.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You&#8217;ve got capital. A spreadsheet. Maybe a contractor lined up. You\u2019re eyeing a route and thinking: How hard can it be?&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At Zayo, we\u2019ve been doing this for 20 years \u2013 across mountains, deserts, canyons, railroads, protected lands, flood zones, and tribal jurisdictions. We\u2019ve worked through fires, lawsuits, supply chain collapses, vendor complications, and the occasional mudslide.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s the hard truth: building long-haul at scale requires more than just the right contractors and capital. It demands equal parts strategy, deep experience, and grit \u2013 and a rare few have what it takes to succeed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Illusion of the Straight Line\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On paper, it looks simple: draw a line. Pull permits. Hire a contractor. Build. Enjoy the fruits of your labor.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The reality is far more complex. No matter your level of preparation, you\u2019re bound to encounter several obstacles. Permits don\u2019t show up, partners run out of money, or regulations change mid-project. Environmental monitors find a tin can, and your entire route is suddenly shut down because it <em>might<\/em> be an artifact.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And those obstacles don\u2019t just cost time, they burn capital. Delays compound, contracts get renegotiated, and your budget assumptions start to unravel. If you don\u2019t know how to see it coming and solve it fast, you fall behind. And falling behind can cost you everything.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Hits Keep Coming: Stories from the Front Lines\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m sharing these stories to make one thing clear: if the returns in the Excel model look too good to be true, the reality is likely much different. Long-haul doesn\u2019t reward optimism\u2014it punishes it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">We Own a Horse Ranch\u00a0\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We needed an ILA site. Nothing was available at the proper spacing near the route with access to adequate power. So, after quickly confirming there were no other viable options, we bought a horse ranch \u2014 at a substantial price tag, that was still the least painful option. The good news is we found a farmer to cut and bail hay on the ranch to keep the fire danger down.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wistia_responsive_padding\" style=\"padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;\"><div class=\"wistia_responsive_wrapper\" style=\"height:100%;left:0;position:absolute;top:0;width:100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.net\/embed\/iframe\/168szygliv?web_component=true&#038;seo=false\" title=\"Zayo Q3 Blog Videos - We Own a Horse Ranch - Final\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen\" allowtransparency=\"true\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wistia_embed\" name=\"wistia_embed\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/div>\n<script src=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.net\/player.js\" async><\/script>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Phantom Fiber Scam\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A vendor\u2019s subcontractor wanted to get paid, but really didn\u2019t want to do the work. So, they shoved fiber ends into conduits to fake fiber placement production. On paper: fiber was placed. In reality: zero fiber was placed. We and our general contractor found out the hard way.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Monsoo<\/strong>n Mayhem\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Building through unforgiving, solid mountainside along I-70 on our route from Denver to Salt Lake City, a wildfire sparked from nearby power lines and crews were evacuated. Then came the monsoon. Mudslides wiped out freshly placed fiber. Six-inch steel casings were twisted like licorice. This amounted to a five-month delay. We had to fully rebuild the section, but only after the area was stabilized and made safe.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Railroad Ransom\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mid-way through a build, a railroad operator jacked up our right of way (ROW) fees by 10x. After unproductive negotiations, we walked. We self-constructed an entirely new route using the railroad ROW \u2013 because negotiating was slower than rebuilding.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wistia_responsive_padding\" style=\"padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;\"><div class=\"wistia_responsive_wrapper\" style=\"height:100%;left:0;position:absolute;top:0;width:100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.net\/embed\/iframe\/vxgmk7vt5q?web_component=true&#038;seo=false\" title=\"Zayo Q3 Blog Videos - Railroad Ransom - Final\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen\" allowtransparency=\"true\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wistia_embed\" name=\"wistia_embed\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/div>\n<script src=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.net\/player.js\" async><\/script>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Vendor Vanish Act<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A vendor goes Chapter 11 and falsifies invoices to build up the payables owed by Zayo to influence the judge. Meanwhile, subcontractors and materials suppliers are filing liens on the railroad ROW which in turn causes the railroads to shut us down until resolved. This delays construction by months while we deal with legal warfare and clean up the mess. Eventually the vendor goes Chapter 7 which allows us to re-award to a new vendor and we wrap up the project.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And we haven\u2019t even touched inflation, supply chain shortages, fiber defects during final testing, or the thrill of discovering another utility drilled through your newly completed system. Each one of these disasters has a common thread: they\u2019re expensive. And they don\u2019t just stretch timelines \u2014 they kill your returns.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-94f13fbc gb-headline-text\"><strong>Why Zayo Is Still Standing<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At Zayo, we use the motto <em>Hell for Leather \u2013 <\/em>because we\u2019re moving fast at top speed to build long haul boldly and strategically, pushing the limits of what we thought was possible.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We don\u2019t pretend we\u2019re perfect. We\u2019ve taken our lumps. Early in our journey, we made plenty of our own mistakes. We drew a line on a map and figured it out later. We learned the hard way.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But we <em>did<\/em> learn \u2013 and we adapted fast.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We more than doubled our long-haul team, built scalable processes, and institutionalized how we manage projects and problems. We have dry powder in our budgets to absorb chaos without grinding to a halt. And most importantly: we built a culture that doesn\u2019t flinch when things go sideways. More so, we actively seek out problems before they manifest so we can solve them before they become big problems.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>I\u2019ll Let You in on a Secret&#8230;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If someone says they can build faster, it usually means they missed something that will come back and bite them later.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maybe they didn\u2019t factor in tribal negotiations. Or plan for hundreds of permits\u2026including the nine-month BLM review. Or account for what happens when the fiber shows up defective. Or when their contractor disappears. Or when a tin can pops up on their route and becomes a cultural shutdown.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They didn\u2019t budget for that, didn\u2019t ask the right questions, and didn\u2019t know what they didn\u2019t know. Long-haul work can be profitable, but it\u2019s easy to fall behind \u2013 and once you&#8217;re behind, you likely won&#8217;t catch up.&nbsp;<em>&nbsp;<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wistia_responsive_padding\" style=\"padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;\"><div class=\"wistia_responsive_wrapper\" style=\"height:100%;left:0;position:absolute;top:0;width:100%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.net\/embed\/iframe\/tiusk7v6uz?web_component=true&#038;seo=false\" title=\"Zayo Q3 Blog Videos - A Dirty Little Secret - Final\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen\" allowtransparency=\"true\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wistia_embed\" name=\"wistia_embed\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/div>\n<script src=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.net\/player.js\" async><\/script>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Anyone Can Map a Route. Many Won\u2019t Survive it.&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A lot of folks see long-haul fiber and smell opportunity. Massive demand. High-capacity pricing. AI. Cloud. Edge. Infrastructure tailwinds.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It <em>looks<\/em> like a fast ROI \u2014 until the delays or unexpected costs hit.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Until one wrong assumption causes plans to go awry, permits stall, a $500,000 fix turns into a $5 million reroute, or until you&#8217;re six months in and already bleeding margin before a single customer lights up.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Long-haul isn\u2019t a quick way to make a buck. It\u2019s a slow, brutal way to lose one if you don\u2019t know what you&#8217;re doing. In fact, Zayo has acquired the assets of more than one ambitious long-haul constructor who had big dreams and big eyes but got lost in the wilderness on the way to the Promised Land.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anyone can map a route but <em>actually <\/em>building it is a different story entirely. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Hard-Knock Advantage\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At Zayo, we\u2019ve earned our stripes the hard way\u2014through the kind of challenges you can\u2019t read about in a manual and can only learn by experience. Every delay, every blown budget, every \u201cwhat now?\u201d moment has helped us write the playbook.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, those hard-won lessons are embedded into everything we do. We\u2019ve built the processes, the expertise, and the resilience to deliver long-haul routes consistently, no matter the terrain\u2014literal or figurative. And when we deliver, it\u2019s not just about connecting Point A to Point B. It\u2019s about creating the infrastructure that connects what\u2019s next.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because we\u2019ve navigated the long-haul wilderness, we now have a clear path forward, building the infrastructure that fuels the future \u2013 whether it\u2019s AI shaping new industries, e-learning connecting minds across the globe, or innovations still on the horizon. &nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>So you want to build a long-haul fiber route.\u00a0You&#8217;ve got capital. A spreadsheet. Maybe a contractor lined up. You\u2019re eyeing a route and thinking: How hard can it be?\u00a0\u00a0 At Zayo, we\u2019ve been doing this for 20 years \u2013 across mountains, deserts, canyons, railroads, protected lands, flood zones, and tribal jurisdictions. We\u2019ve worked through fires, lawsuits, supply chain collapses, vendor complications, and the occasional mudslide.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":13283,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","resource-post-excerpt":"So you want to build a long-haul fiber route.\u00a0You've got capital. A spreadsheet. Maybe a contractor lined up. You\u2019re eyeing a route and thinking: How hard can it be?\u00a0\u00a0 At Zayo, we\u2019ve been doing this for 20 years \u2013 across mountains, deserts, canyons, railroads, protected lands, flood zones, and tribal jurisdictions. We\u2019ve worked through fires, lawsuits, supply chain collapses, vendor complications, and the occasional mudslide.","footnotes":""},"resource-topics":[],"displayed":[],"resources-categories":[44],"industry":[],"services-amp-solutions":[75,31,77,76],"class_list":["post-18032","resources","type-resources","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","resources-categories-blog","services-amp-solutions-dark-fiber","services-amp-solutions-fiber-transport-services","services-amp-solutions-private-networks","services-amp-solutions-wavelengths"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources\/18032","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/resources"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources\/18032\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18045,"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources\/18032\/revisions\/18045"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13283"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18032"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"resource-topics","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-topics?post=18032"},{"taxonomy":"displayed","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/displayed?post=18032"},{"taxonomy":"resources-categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resources-categories?post=18032"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=18032"},{"taxonomy":"services-amp-solutions","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zayoustrans.burbledev.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/services-amp-solutions?post=18032"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}