Missing conduit halts fiber optic lines

OSBURN — Syringa Networks reports that they have recently hit a bit of a snag as they were making their way toward Kellogg.

Syringa Networks has spent the last few months laying miles of fiber optic lines in the conduit that runs along I-90.

Valerie Cramer, a representative for Syringa Networks, explained that everything had been going according to plan until the technicians laying the lines discovered that some of the locations that were supposed to have conduit were missing said conduit — basically halting any further progress.

“We ran into some issues out on the highway,” Cramer said. “Our operation is shut down as of now, but we are working with our engineering department and outside clients to come up with a solution.”

The technicians had gotten just outside of Cataldo when the discovery was made, which has prompted the engineers to weigh the options on if they want to continue running underground or possibly change the method which they are bringing their services through Shoshone County.

“When I say we are down, it really means we are on hold,” Cramer said. “We are still planning on getting to Kellogg and then continuing through to Wallace, but we are reevaluating the way we are going to proceed.”

As far as liability is concerned, Cramer was unsure who is to be held responsible for the interruption in work.

The contract Syringa Networks originally signed with the Idaho Transportation Department said that there was conduit along the entirety of I-90, but after reviewing their contract and their information, they determined there was no conduit there.

“ITD was under the impression that the conduit was there,” Cramer said. “It’s just one of those things where we are going to have to work around, but it will have to wait until at least spring time.”

Syringa Networks fiber optic lines would bring high speed internet through Shoshone County where the service can be sold to businesses and then redistributed to residential customers through local providers like Suddenlink Communications, but as of right now those plans are on hold.

In a meeting with the Shoshone Board of County Commissioners in mid-August, Syringa Networks senior account manager, Bill Coale, said that they planned to have the line to Kellogg by the end of October.

With these most recent setbacks, this timetable was not met.

Syringa Networks is laying line through the Silver Valley with goal of making it to Missoula, Mont., and linking up with another part of their network.

Suddenlink Communication handled the initial costs for the first leg of the project and getting the line to Cataldo, but Syringa has been offering its services to businesses in the Silver Valley to fund the rest of the journey to the state line.

For more information on the services Syringa Networks hopes to bring to Shoshone County call Bill Coale at 208-229-6179.

The Shoshone News-Press will continue to update this story as it develops.