The utility industry has relied on fiber optic communication for more than 40 years. As the grid evolves to gain resilience, fiber is becoming ubiquitous.

“Fiber is in optical ground wire, which provides the backbone of grid communication,” said Sean Adam, vice president of Market Strategy and Innovation at AFL, a manufacturer of optical cable and connectivity technologies. “With grid modernization, more remote control, more substations and connections to sources of renewable energy, the utility industry’s need for additional broadband capacity keeps growing.”

Demand for well-constructed fiber networks is predicted to intensify as artificial intelligence plays a greater role in detecting power outages and managing energy flow and consumption. 

Available certifications

Constructing supportive fiber communication infrastructure requires special knowledge and skills—which explains why some training centers now offer telecom technician courses. It’s also why the Fiber Optic Association (FOA) offers certifications for fiber optic network design specialists, technicians and outside plant (OSP) specialists.

Of interest to line contractors, OSP specialist training covers fiber networks as well as transmission and distribution infrastructure, both in-ground and aerial, as it traverses varied terrain.

“It’s important to remember that for the outside plant setting, no two fiber projects are the same,” said Jim Hayes, FOA president and founder. “It’s not like the premises or building setting. The environment is too varied and unpredictable.” 

“OSP expertise and certifications are crucial for working with communications systems infrastructure,” said Jeff Beavers, executive director of network integration and services for NECA. “The federal government recognizes the communications sector as critical because it provides an enabling function across all critical infrastructure sectors, yet communications is still largely considered an amenity—for entertainment and convenience.” 

That may be why OSP certifications are still voluntary, Beavers said. “Rapid advancements and mission-critical applications, however, are elevating the need for technical competency. Reliable, ultra-low-latency connectivity has become a necessity for things like real-time monitoring and control of power systems, and substation automation along with telehealth and autonomous vehicles.” 

Cybersecurity concerns also underscore the importance of grid reliability. 

“The focus is largely on sophisticated cyberattacks, but substandard installations already make the grid vulnerable to vandalism, vehicular damage and storm damage,” Beavers said.

OSP certifications are based on ISO and ANSI standards and the National Electrical Safety Code. Consequently, contractors with these credentials are better suited to handle construction opportunities related to critical infrastructure. 

“Unfortunately, right now, contractors without this expertise or certifications are getting the lion’s share of work,” Beavers said. “We need to encourage customers to value expertise and certifications for delivering reliable networks.”

Missed opportunities are greatest for line contractors because the largest markets for fiber use are in the OSP setting, Hayes said. 

Fiber appears most frequently in the telecom, automobile, medical equipment, power utilities, aerospace and defense, industrial automation and control sectors, according to a January Forbes Business Insights report.

“Worldwide, beyond electric utilities, fiber is used in marine cable, telephone cable, internet, traffic controls, first­responder emergency response, military defense and more,” Hayes said. “We’ve estimated the premises setting for fiber to be a small percentage in comparison to outside plant. Outside plant is where the money is.”

The FOA, which operates 200 schools in 40 countries, is collaborating with the Electrical Training Alliance to make FOA OSP training more widely available to IBEW line apprentice and journeymen training programs, Hayes said. 

Identifying as CFOS/O, FOA’s OSP certification program requires fiber optic technician certification, knowledge of OSP components, construction of underground and aerial cable, and fiber installation practices such as fusion splicing, testing and identifying fiber.

For decades, BICSI has offered the Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD) credential. In 2001, BICSI established an OSP credential that’s now easier to obtain. 

“BICSI’s flagship RCDD qualification used to be mandatory for obtaining the OSP credential, which BICSI realized wasn’t fair to those who only wanted the OSP,” said John Adams, owner of Adams Telecomm, The Villages, Fla., who conducts OSP prep testing classes. “After the design credential requirement was eliminated, we saw more people obtain the OSP credential.”

OSP certifications are valid for three years. Recertification through the FOA requires working in the field and a renewal fee. BICSI requires continuing education credits and a renewal fee.

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