A
Aerial
Communications or power equipment on a pole or otherwise overhead, as opposed to underground.
Alden ONE
Alden Systems's business process automation platform for utility just use asset management.
WATCH THE SERIES: Alden ONE Features
Alden ONE Conversation
A "Conversation" in Alden ONE refers to all the communications among utility stakeholders regarding common asset data, relevant processes/workflows, and other information necessary for a task or project to be completed, such as documents, notes, photos, invoices, and contracts.
Anchor
A long metal device inserted into the ground used for securing guy wires.
As-Built
Documentation and/or drawings that show the actual specifications after construction, which may differ than the original design plans.
Attachment Agreement
Agreement between a pole owner (asset owner) and a non-pole owner (asset attacher).
Attachment Count
The process of counting the number of attachments on a pole.
B
Backhaul
A fiber optic cable that connects a small cell to the core network, also called the fiber backbone.
BEAD
Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program to expand high-speed internet access through funding of planning, infrastructure and adoption.
Busing
Insulating material which separates a piece of equipment from its connection to a conductor.
C
Capacitor
A device used to manage electrical capacity that stores electricity for release into a circuit when a drop in voltage occurs.
Circuit
A series of conductors which carry electrical current.
CLEC
Competitive Local Exchange Carrier
Communications Space
The space on a joint pole occupied by communication lines. It sits below the neutral space and a specified distance from what it is on the ground below it based on NESC guidelines.
Conductor
A wire or group of wires that are not insulated from each other, sufficient to carry electrical current.
Consumer
Paying customers who use the electricity supplied by a utility. These can be residential, commercial, or agricultural.
Conversation
A "Conversation" in Alden ONE refers to all the communications among utility stakeholders regarding common asset data, relevant processes/workflows, and other information necessary for a task or project to be completed, such as documents, notes, photos, invoices, and contracts.
SEE ALSO: Alden ONE Conversation
C-RAN
Standing for either centralized or cloud radio access network.
Current
The wave-shaped electrical charge flowing through a conductor. In electrical circuits, carried by moving electrons through a wire.
D
DAS
Distributed Antenna System i.e. - wireless.
De-energized
A piece of equipment or conductor that is not carrying an electrical current. Also referred to as dead or open.
Densification
The process of increasing cellular capacity in accordance with increased demand by building more cell sites in a given area.
Digital Twin
A digital version of an asset as it exists in the real world.
Distribution
A system of electrical circuits that originates at a substation and supplies electricity to consumers.
Double Wood, Double Pole, Buddy Pole
When a new pole is set and the old one is not removed, often leaving equipment attached to multiple poles.
Downstream Flow
The current going away from the substation.
E
Electric Cooperative
A nonprofit business owned by it's members that supplies electricity; all profits are reinvested for infrastructure and/or redistributed among the members.
Energized
A piece of equipment or conductor that is connected to power and carrying an electrical current. Also referred to as live, hot, or closed.
F
Fault
An abnormal flow of current.
FCC
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States.
Fiber
A thin flexible fiber with a glass core through which light signals can be sent with very little loss of strength. Fiber is deployed on utility poles to bring higher speed internet service to consumers.
Flow
The path of current through a conductor.
G
Ground
A direct connection to the earth which de-energizes an item.
Guy Wire
A wire carrying no current which is used to keep a pole standing upright.
H
Hot Stick
The telescoping fiberglass pole which is used to measure and adjust equipment in the power and communications spaces on a utility pole.
I
ILEC
Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier
J
Joint Pole Audit
The process of when the pole owner and attacher(s) go in tandem into the field or agree upon a contractor to perform pole attachment verification and other data collection.
Joint Ownership
Two utilities (or more) own a percentage of a pole.
Joint Trench
The practice of burying different utilities together in one trench.
Joint Use
The shared use of utility and communication poles by utilities, cable and telecom companies, municipalities, and an increasing array of public and private entities is becoming more common.
WATCH VIDEO: Joint Use 101 - Learning the Basics
Joint Use Agreement
Agreement between a pole owner (asset owner) and a non-pole owner (asset attacher) to allow additional equipment to be placed on a pole.
Joint Use Pole
A utility pole where attachment space is owned by one company and space is rented by other service providers. Asset owners charge equipment-attaching companies rent for space on poles.
L
Lightning Arrestor
Equipment which protects the grid on a pole from voltage surges often caused by lightning strikes.
Line
The supply of electricity as it relates to equipment.
Load
The demand for electricity as it relates to equipment.
M
Make-Ready
Make-ready is the work necessary for poles to be prepped for new attachments. Before other service providers can attach additional equipment to any given pole, make-ready work may be required.
N
NESC
National Electrical Safety Code is the standard of the safe installation, operation, and maintenance of electric power and communication utility systems.
Neutral Space
The space below the supply space and above the communications space on a joint pole.
Nominal Voltage
The voltage level of a distribution circuit to supply sufficient power to consumers.
NTP
Notice to Proceed
O
Operating Voltage
The variance above or below the nominal voltage, usually less than +/ 5% of the nominal voltage.
OSHA
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration is the federal agency in the U.S. Department of Labor that establishes and enforces workplace safety and health regulations.
OSP
Outside Plant – Commonly refers to the infrastructure up to the customers endpoint (house, business, etc).
OTMR
One Touch Make Ready requires pole owners to allow a single construction crew to make changes to multiple utility wires (companies).
Overlash
The process attaching additional wires or cables to those that are already attached to a utility pole, accommodating any additional strands of fiber or coaxial cable on existing pole attachments.
Overlashing
The process of physically tying additional cables to the cables that are already attached to a utility pole.
P
Parity Agreement
Between two asset owners, each owning a fixed percentage of poles for a mutual service territory.
PCA
Post Construction Audit – Customer review of field work performed during Construction, Make-Ready, or Attaching Equipment.
Phase
The complementary waveform shape of a current designated as A, B, or C that is separated by 120 degrees. Each primary conductor carries a single phase.
Pole Loading Analysis
Assesses pole condition by evaluating the forces impacting them. Includes examining attached equipment to prevent overloading and potential pole failure. May be required before attachments can be permitted.
PTA
Permit to Attach – Process by which a service provider is granted access to space on a utility pole. One of the most common workflows utilized by within Alden ONE.
PUC
Public Utility Commission – Governmental body provides oversight or regulation of public utilities in a particular geographic area.
R
RDOF
Rural Digital Opportunity Fund to aid in broadband and voice services to under-served rural areas.
Riser
Equipment that transfers current from overhead to underground.
S
Secondary Power
The low voltage line below the primary power which has had the voltage stepped down to be consumable by the direct consumer.
Service Drop
The wire which carries a communications signal from the pole to the consumer.
Small Cell
Low power equipment that can be placed on a pole, building or other structure to enhance cellular network coverage and capacity.
SPA
Single Pole Administrator. Appointed to optimize and streamline the management and maintenance of public utility infrastructure situated within public rights of way.
Storm Hardening
The process of ensuring a network will continue to function through a major storm by improving areas where infrastructure is likely to fail.
Supply Space
The space from pole tip down to secondary that carries the power supply on a joint pole.
Switch
Equipment that redirects or interrupts current.
T
Task Agent
Alden's mobile app utilized for field inventory, available for iOS and Android.
Transformer
The equipment that reduces the voltage to a level that is used by consumers.
Transmission
The equipment that carries the bulk of high voltage electricity over long distances between power generating plants and distribution substations.
U
Upstream Flow
The current going towards the substation.
V
Volt
The difference of electric potential between two points of a conductor carrying a constant current.
W
WO
Work Order – Task or job to be scheduled or assigned.
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