In August 2015, a typhoon hit Guam and other nearby islands, devastating the U.S. territory based in the Western Pacific Ocean. One island that was hit particularly hard, Saipan, is using the destruction as an opportunity to
upgrade an outdated communication infrastructure.
More than a cleanup
Around 87 communications poles were destroyed on the island of Saipan — roughly 130 miles (209.2 km) north of Guam — during the 2015 typhoon. The poles provided cable, internet and phone service to residents. Some people were without electricity for four to six months and without telephone service for even longer.
Docomo Pacific, the primary telecommunications provider in the area, is helping restore and enhance Saipan’s underground infrastructure. Leo Magussen, project manager at Docomo Pacific, says in addition to addressing the aftermath of the typhoon, the company’s 400 employees are working to keep up with the demand for high-speed, consistent internet access.
“We’re still working on rebuilding Saipan,” says Magussen. “That’s mostly because we’re upgrading them to a new underground system versus the old pole system.”
Jaynard White, a technical operations manager at Docomo Pacific, knows firsthand how the repercussions of a typhoon can upset the modern conveniences most people take for granted. His apartment was leveled by a powerful storm that hit the Mariana Islands in August 2015. White was forced to live in a hotel for over four months.
White also knows how the tropical storms can do significant damage to the communications infrastructure of Guam’s most tourist-centric cities.
Wired for travelers
The Mariana Islands are comprised of the island territory of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The area’s primary industry is tourism — the Guam Visitors Bureau reported that roughly 1.3 million people visited Guam in 2014. Since tourism is such an important part of the Guam economy, the territory is dedicated to investing in resources that will attract new visitors and encourage previous visitors to return.
As with any destination in the 21st century, people who visit Guam expect to have access to Wi-Fi and reliable cellular service. Often, people don’t realize just how closely tied wireless internet is to the underground infrastructure. Magussen, however, recognizes the demand for a high-speed connection is directly linked to the boom in the utility business.
“Wi-Fi is everywhere,” says Magussen. “We’re putting hotspots in high-traffic tourist destinations so they can stay connected while they’re here.”
Alternative trenching
As an answer to that devastating typhoon and in an effort to minimize damage done during future storms, Docomo Pacific crews began building an underground infrastructure that offers better protection against the elements using the microtrenching method.
“We are currently using the Vermeer RTX550 ride-on tractor with a rockwheel attachment to bring internet service to both Saipan and Guam,” says White. “The infrastructure will serve hotels, businesses, schools and cellular providers.”
Microtrenching is an installation method in which a narrow and relatively shallow trench is cut. While the trench is being cut, a vacuum system connected to the cutter wheel attachment cleanly diverts and transports the dry and dusty spoil away from the worksite. Once the utility is laid, the trench is backfilled with a grout compound. Compared to traditional trenching methods, microtrenching is often quicker, cleaner and more cost-effective on jobsites with small footprints.
Docomo Pacific opted for the microtrenching method for a variety of reasons. Minimal cutting width boosts installation production and reduces the amount of backfill grout needed. The vacuum spoil removal makes for a cleaner jobsite and positions microtrenching as a viable option for urban fiber projects.
“With microtrenching, the line was connected directly to the machine. As you trench, you just drop it in,” says Magussen. “It’s a lot smaller and quicker to use. It definitely cut down the amount of manpower we needed for the job compared to traditional trenching.”
Protecting existing utilities
Microtrenching offers the additional advantage of shallow depth placement, which helps contractors avoid existing utilities — an important benefit in Guam according to Magussen.
“Microtrenching is a more secure method for the utilities because we’re able to encase it in concrete and help ensure the lines don’t get hit by other contractors,” he explains. “In Guam there are a lot of utilities, and other contractors don’t always take the time to accurately locate, so they end up hitting our lines.”
Preparing for the inevitable
Docomo Pacific, its employees and the residents of the islands they serve are anticipating two facts as they look to the future: the first being that tourists will continue to visit the striking landscape of the territories and will expect all the digital comforts of home, and the second being that eventually another typhoon will strike.
With the help of microtrenching, Guam is developing its underground utility infrastructure and ensuring its water, electrical and communications lines are better protected and positioned to serve its residents and tourists alike.