Frequently Asked Questions

Fiber Optic Service is the installation and use of optical fiber from a central point to individual buildings. 

A fiber optic cable is an insulated network cable containing glass fibers. They are designed for long distance, high-performance data networking (internet service), and telecommunications (phone service).

Fiber optic cables have a higher capacity for network bandwidth than traditional cables. It is also less susceptible to electromagnetic interference with the physical properties of the glass fibers.

The City of Ammon is expanding its Fiber Optic Service across neighborhoods where there is a high demand for it. You can register to show interest and demand for Fiber Optic Service in your neighborhood.

The Ammon Fiber Model is unique in that we separate the physical fiber infrastructure from the internet service. The City does not provide service, it provides residents with the physical infrastructure. Because of this uniqueness there are typically three associated costs totaling between $45-$80 a month, depending on the service plan you choose.

1. Service Cost: The service cost is basically the cost for connecting to the internet. The City has Internet Service Providers on its network; the City does not provide service. There are currently five Internet Service Providers (ISPs). For residential they are Advanced Stream, Direct Communications, Fybercom, QWKnet, and Sumo. This cost varies but is roughly between $5-$109. This cost is controlled by and paid directly to the ISP and you will need to set up billing with whomever you choose.
2. Infrastructure Maintenance: After the fiber infrastructure to your house is completed that infrastructure will need maintenance to keep things working. This cost covers things like equipment failures, repairs, troubleshooting, replacing bad connections, etc. The Infrastructure Maintenance cost is $21.00 per month. This amount will be on your City utility bill.
3. Initial Construction Cost: This is the cost to build out the initial fiber infrastructure to your home. We typically use Local Improvement Districts (LIDs) to pay for the initial construction cost. This is determined by taking the total cost of getting fiber to each home within the LID area, and dividing that by how many customers signed up for fiber. The more residents who sign up in an area, the lower the initial construction cost per resident. The city is striving to keep costs down with the rise of constructions costs.  In the past this cost has been less than $4000 and is due in the form of an assessment on the home at the end of the project. The default method of paying this amount is in an annual amortized amount through the life of the LID (which usually lasts 15-20 years), but you can also choose to pay it off in one lump sum or monthly.  If you choose to let this amount take the form of monthly payments, it will be around $26 a month.  Please contact the City if you wish to pay it monthly.

It is important to understand that the cost of the Fiber Optic Service is broken down into three categories, which we’ve put into a monthly estimate below. You’ll need to pay for the installation of the fiber line to your home, a monthly city utility fee, and the payment to your internet service provider (ISP).

Installation

The City is striving to keep the installation cos as low as possible. We estimate the cost to be around $4000 for fiber projects in the City of Ammon. The city is striving to keep the costs as low as we can, with the rise of construction costs, the more people who sign up we can push these numbers down. This cost can be paid in full at the time of installation, or through an annual fee with low municipal bond interest rates over 15 years.

City Utility

There is a city utility fee associated with the Fiber Optic Service to pay for maintenance and operation of the line. The monthly cost of this is $21.

Internet Service Provider (ISP)

You have the option to choose your own ISP (see Who are the service providers? for more info on providers and plans). Each ISP has their own options for plans, but for a residential property that wants internet at 1Gbps (1000Mbps) with no caps, you’ll be looking at around $5 - $109 per month depending on the ISP and package.

Monthly Breakdown using annual installation payment

This is an estimated monthly breakdown we’ve come up with to show you what the average cost looks like. Keep in mind, the installation fee is paid annually (or all up front lowering your average monthly cost) and we are just showing an average estimated cost per month. Depending on the installation cost of the project and the service you choose, the cost could be slightly more or slightly less.

Installation = $26.00/month (averaged)

Maintenance and operation = $21.

Service (Internet Only), 1Gbps = $14 (avg)

Total= $61

No, residents and businesses are not forced to participate. That means participants will be given the option to voluntarily choose to participate. Residents and Businesses who choose not to participate will not be charged anything.

A Local Improvement District (LID) is a method by which a group of property owners can share the cost of infrastructure improvements. This can include improving the street, building sidewalks, installing fiber optics and installing a stormwater management system. Financing is offered for up to 20 years, with the first payment not due until after the project is complete. 

If an LID is formed, the City manages the design and construction of the project, and property owners do not pay until the work is complete.

Each project we complete is an LID, and any person that opts in to Fiber Optic Service through an LID that their neighborhood is a part of has the opportunity to utilize this long-term payment plan rather than pay the estimated $3,400-$3,500 installation cost in full all at once.

• Sign up/Opt in
• Installation – When installation is complete, a utility charge will be added to the monthly utility statement. This pays for service, maintenance, and tech support of the line. There will be a separate charge for an ISP [internet service provider] as well (separate billing through third party – average cost is about $15.00/month).
• Receipt of first estimated assessment letter to last known owner address along with an invitation to attend a public hearing and address any questions or concerns.
• Receipt of final assessment letter.
• 30 day window to pay assessment off in full with no interest.
• If not paid in full, the balance will be financed into a municipal bond which will require an annual payment. The last couple of bonds were for a 15 year period, future bonds may be for different time periods.
• First annual payment will be due 12 months after the final assessment notice date.
• Wait until receipt of the first annual statement before trying to set up monthly payments or auto payments.
• Two statements are sent each year – one at the close of the district period and the other 30-45 days before the annual payment is due.

1. In-Home Meeting - Prior to construction, we will meet with you to discuss the entire process, particularly the finance portion and the specifics of your home such as the placement of the device inside and the conduit outside.
2. Construction - The construction team will have to excavate what we call “potholes” in your yard to identify the location and depth of existing utilities so we don’t damage them. We may also excavate holes on property lines for placing underground vaults. We will place cones around holes and we ask that you try to keep your children away from them. We will then use our underground bore machines to run conduit along the road edge and up to the house. Once the drilling is done we will return for restoration, including filling holes and laying sod. We ask that you make sure the new sod gets plenty of water, or it will not take. If we come for restoration work in the winter, please keep in mind that we will not be able to obtain sod until early spring (April).
3. Cabling - After the conduit and vaults are in place, we will return to run fiber optic cables through the conduits and vaults. Depending on the layout of the area, this could take some time.
4. Splicing - Once all the cables are in place, we will then go around and splice the cables together with our fusion splicers. This is the very time consuming and delicate process of fusing the glass fibers together. 
5. In Home Installation - At this point, all of the cables are run and spliced, which means we are ready to bring you on to the network. Typically, our installer(s) will send out emails to schedule a day and time for your install. This is usually a 2-hour appointment, but it could take longer, depending on the amount of work required in your home. Please see the next sheet in this packet labeled “Installation Policies” for more information regarding home installs.
6. Utility Application + Quick Start Guide - After the installation is complete, you are almost ready to join the Ammon Fiber network! All we ask is that you fill out a form that you will receive from the installer while they are there so we can set up billing and create your Ammon Fiber account. Once we’ve created your account, we will send you an email with some brief instructions on how to sign in to our website and choose your internet provider. Once you click on the one you want, your device will program itself and within a couple minutes you will have an internet connection through your new provider.

1. If you want fiber and have not already done so, please sign up on www.ammonfiber.com.  If you have already signed up and are in the current LID area, you can check the progress here: http://www.ammonfiber.com/.  
2. Areas remaining to be done in the current LID are north Centennial Ranch and Briar Creek areas. If you have already signed up and are not in the current LID area, please note that the next LID (LID 6) will cover the following areas:  Quail Ridge Estates, Trailwood Village, Hillsdale, Hillview Village, Ammon Townsite, and Granite Creek.  If you are not listed in LID 6, you will be in LID 7, which we expect will be the final LID.
3. If you live in a completed LID area but you did not get fiber, please contact the City to see about getting you connected.  208-612-4000.

1. Options for Paying the Assessment.
   • As an example we will use an amount of $4028.39, which was the assessment amount for LID5. Your assessment amount for the fiber infrastructure should be close to this amount. The city is striving to keep the costs as low as we can, with the rise of construction costs, the more people who sign up we can push these numbers down.  You should receive a letter in the mail that lets every resident in the Local Improvement District know their amount of the total project. There are some options to pay this at the end of the project. All options, other than paying the full amount within 30 days include interest.
   • Pay Full Amount: Residents may pay the full amount at Ammon City Hall, located at 2135 S. Ammon Rd. Residents will have 30 days after the LID has closed to pay off the amount without interest. After 30 days, interest will be added to the payoff amount.
   • Annual Payments. Residents can pay an annual payment of approximately $320 per year.  Annual assessment payments will be sent out each year. This option is what is chosen by default.
   • Monthly Payments. If choosing monthly payments, please call 208-612-4000 to set up monthly payments. We would expect this payment amount to be around $26 per month. 
2. Assessment of Zero Dollars. 

• If you receive an assessment for $0.00 then you do not have to pay anything because you opted to not receive fiber to your home. You received the assessment because we are required to notify every resident within the LID area, regardless of if they signed up or not.

Nothing will happen if you don’t sign up for Fiber. You will continue on with the same service that you’ve always had.

You can always opt in to receive Fiber if you should decide that you want it later down the road. However, if you don’t opt in to Fiber during the LID while the construction crew is in your neighborhood, the cost of the installation will need to be paid upfront - amortization, or financing, will not be available when the LID is closed. If your neighborhood is in an LID, you will receive a letter in the mail to notify you when it is closed.  The cost will be a flat rate of $3600.00 which has been set by the city council.

If you want fiber and have not already done so, please sign up on www.ammonfiber.com. If you have already signed up and are in the current LID area, you can check the progress here: http://maps.ammonfiber.com/.
Areas remaining to be done in the current LID are north Centennial Ranch and Briar Creek areas. If you have already signed up and are not in the current LID area, please note that the next LID (LID 6) will cover the following areas: Quail Ridge Estates, Trailwood Village, Hillsdale, Hillview Village, Ammon Townsite, and Granite Creek. If you are not listed in LID 6, you will be in LID 7, which we expect will be the final LID.
If you live in a completed LID area but you did not get fiber, please contact the City to see about getting you connected. 208-612-4000Call via Mitel .

As our fiber project is starting to reach homes, let us take a few minutes to show you the steps that are necessary to take fiber from our central hub to your home.

Numbers match in the picture:

1. The first step in the process is to receive your permission to run fiber to your home.

2. Now we have a representative come to your home. We will meet with you to discuss the entire process, particularly the finance portion and the specifics of your home such as the placement of the device inside and the conduit outside.

3. Utility Locates will be called and they will paint and place flags where their utilities are, so that when we drill in the ground we don't hit those utilities.

4. After marking the path, the ducting (conduit) is run along the road into hand hole boxes. The orange “pipe” that you see sticking up out of the ground is the ducting.  They will also place boxes in the ground.

The construction team will have to excavate what we call “potholes” in your yard to identify the location and depth of existing utilities so we don’t damage them. We may also excavate holes on property lines for placing underground vaults. We will place cones around holes and we ask that you try to keep your children away from them. We will then use our underground bore machines to run conduit along the road edge and up to the house. Once the drilling is done we will return for restoration, including filling holes and laying sod. We ask that you make sure the new sod gets plenty of water, or it will not take. If we come for restoration work in the winter, please keep in mind that we will not be able to obtain sod until early spring (April).

5. After the conduit and vaults are in place, we will return to run fiber optic cables through the conduits and vaults. Depending on the layout of the area, this could take some time.

Once all the cables are in place, we will then go around and splice the cables together with our fusion splicers. This is the very time consuming and delicate process of fusing the glass fibers together.

6. After marking the path, the ducting (conduit) is run up to the side of the home. The orange “pipe” that you see sticking up out of the ground is the ducting.  

The construction team will have to excavate what we call “potholes” in your yard to identify the location and depth of existing utilities so we don’t damage them. Once the drilling is done we will return for restoration, including filling holes and laying sod. We ask that you make sure the new sod gets plenty of water, or it will not take. If we come for restoration work in the winter, please keep in mind that we will not be able to obtain sod until early spring (April).

7.After the Main line fiber wiring is done, you will receive an email to schedule an in-home install.  This is where the Installer will run the drop fiber from the box at the street to the home and terminate in a box on the side of the home.

8. The installer will next install the fiber equipment inside the home.

9. The installer will have you fill out a form the will be sent to our fiber office.  They will create an account and email you setup information so that you can set up your internet service.

10. Now you can celebrate!  You are ready to use your new fiber optic internet.

The construction team will have to excavate what we call “potholes” in your yard to identify the location and depth of existing utilities so we don’t damage them. We may also excavate holes on property lines for placing underground vaults. We will place cones around holes and we ask that you try to keep your children away from them. We will then use our underground bore machines to run conduit along the road edge and up to the house.

Once the drilling is done we will return for restoration, including filling holes and laying sod. We ask that you make sure the new sod gets plenty of water, or it will not take. If we come for restoration work in the winter, please keep in mind that we will not be able to obtain sod until early spring (April).

The paint will wash off.  

Once the orange conduit is installed in the flags can be pulled up.  These are put in by the utility locators to mark their lines so that we don't hit them when we are drilling.

Current internet service providers (ISPs).

A Snapshot of the ISP plans can be viewed here.

You can login to a demo account in our customer portal to see the different ISP plans available.

Just click "Customer Portal" above and log in with the credentials below.

Username: coademo

Password: coademo

On the left side Under Internet Services, click "View Providers"

You can call the City of Ammon during office hours 8am - 4:30pm at 208-612-4090 .

If you need support related to your internet, phone, or cable service, we would suggest trying to call your service provider first. If you can’t reach them, please call us.

ISP Support Numbers:

Advanced Stream:
(208)747-8000

Direct Communications:
(208)548-2683

Fybercom:
(208)403-0505

QwkNet:
(208)522-7638

Sumo Fiber:
(208)757-4000

Cabling

After the conduit and vaults are in place, we will return to run fiber optic cables through the conduits and vaults. Depending on the layout of the area, this could take some time.

Splicing

Once all the cables are in place, we will then go around and splice the cables together with our fusion splicers. This is the very time consuming and delicate process of fusing the glass fibers together. 

In Home Installation

At this point, all of the cables are run and spliced, which means we are ready to bring you on to the network. Typically, our installer(s) will send out emails to schedule a day and time for your install. This is usually a 1-hour appointment, but it could take longer, depending on the amount of work required in your home. Please see the next sheet in this packet labeled “Installation Policies” for more information regarding home installs.

Utility Application + Quick Start Guide

After the installation is complete, you are almost ready to join the Ammon Fiber network! All we ask is that you fill out a form that you will receive from the installer while they are there so we can set up billing and create your Ammon Fiber account. Once we’ve created your account, we will send you an email with some brief instructions on how to sign in to our website and choose your internet provider. Once you click on the one you want, your device will program itself and within a couple minutes you will have an internet connection through your new provider.

• A legal adult must be present during the entirety of the installation process.
• No work is performed in tight or confined spaces including the attic and other crawl spaces.
• Only one penetration into the house through an exterior wall is performed. The exterior box must be situated to allow access by the City of Ammon Fiber Department employees.
• The resident is responsible for moving things to allow the technician enough room to work. The technician will not move things in the home that belong to the resident unless permission is granted.
• The City will not perform any finish work after installation, this includes drywall, painting, siding, and other related work.
• We will not reuse or remove other companies fixtures, this includes termination boxes and cabling on the side of the dwelling. We will also not allow other companies to use our termination box or cabling.
• The City of Ammon is not responsible for any networking devices or configuration past the VBG (sometimes called a modem), this includes the resident's router, Ethernet cabling, and wireless systems.
• Any incorrectly configured devices plugged into the network that may cause an issue with other devices on the network will have their connection turned off until the issue is resolved.
• The VBG (sometimes called a modem) will be installed within 15 feet from the exterior penetration or what the technician deems reasonable.
• The installing technician has the ability to reschedule or cancel the installation if any issues arise that may need to be addressed by either the technician or the resident.

Any and all internet connections with all providers require a modem AND a router. In many cases, such as Sparklight or CenturyLink, they provide a device that is a combination modem/router. With Ammon Fiber, we provide a device that functions similarly to a modem, Gateway.  It does not have router capability, so you need to plug in a wireless router to broadcast a WiFi network to allow your phones and other wireless devices to connect to the internet.

You will need to purchase a wireless router to support the service from your internet service provider (ISP).
We don’t recommend a specific model or brand because there isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ solution and everyone has different brand preferences. The only requirement is that you get a wireless router NOT a modem or modem/router combination. Many routers are rated for a specific square footage of home- we recommend you find one that will fit the size of your home and the number of devices you want to connect. We invite you to consult with your internet provider, your neighbors, or friends for recommendations.

While any wireless router will work, you will want to make sure you select a router that will meet your expectations because your wireless router is what connects your devices to your fiber service. Over 90% of customer complaints come from their WiFi router's performance, not from the actual fiber service.

We have seen may problems with the Netgear Orbi's, Netgear R7000, and Linksys Velop. They have flaky wireless signal. PLEASE DO NOT PURCHASE THESE!

Other then the above we have seen good success with Netgear products.  They are not the only or best option.  You will need to select your router based on the size of your home and the number of devices connected.
For homes 1,500 sq. ft. and under consider the Netgear AX routers with WiFi 6.
For homes over 3,000 sq. ft. consider a mesh system like Google Nest, TP-Link Deco, Asus Zen...

YES!

A UPS is a Uninterruptible Power Supply.  You can get then Locally @ Best Buy, Walmart, Batteries Plus, among many others and online, like Amazon.

You don't need to get anything fancy or expensive.  We would recommend something around the $50 range.

Do not plug large equipment into the UPS, like printers, water softeners and space heaters.  These will reduce the life of the UPS.

• Gen 1 [Virtual Gateway Labs - Silver]
  • Have you powercycled?
    • Could take up to 3 or 5 min to boot.
    • Power LED will be solid
    • CPU LED will be solid
    • WAN LED will Blink
  • LED’s (After boot)
    • Power {Solid Green]
      • If Dim means PSU or the unit has failed or failing
    • CPU [Blinking Green and Amber]
      • If it is solid, after booting, it means the unit has failed.
    • WAN [Indicated that the physical fiber is connected]
      • Should be Blinking, If it is not blinking then there is a disconnect in the fiber somewhere.
• Gen 2 [Virtual Gateway Labs - Black Square]
  • Have you powercycled?
    • Could take up to 3 or 5 min to boot.
    • Power LED will be solid
    • CPU LED will be solid
    • WAN LED will Blink
  • LED’s (After boot)
    • Power {Solid Green]
      • If Dim means PSU or the unit has failed or failing
    • CPU [Blinking Green and Amber {This can be hard to see}]
      • If it is solid, after booting, it means the unit has failed.
    • WAN [Indicated that the physical fiber is connected]
      • Should be Blinking, If it is not blinking then there is a disconnect in the fiber somewhere.
• Gen 3 [Aaeon - Black Rectangle]
  • Have you powercycled?
    • Could take up to 3 or 5 min to boot.
    • After booting all the LED’s will turn off for 8 - 10 Sec then turn back on.
  • Cable Side
    • Power button next to the yellow fiber jumper, Says Reset next to it
      • Blue {VBG is On}
      • Red {VBG is Off}
    • LED {2}
      • SFP2  [Fiber has to be plugged in here. It will not work in SFP1]
      • Left {Blink Yellow}
      • Right {Solid Orange}
  • Front Side
    • LED's
      • S2
        • Top {Blink Green}
        • Bottom {Solid Orange}
      • Power 
        • Solid Green

Each ethernet port (Lan 1-4) is/can be and individual service.  If your service is on port 1, and you plug into port 2 you will not have internet.

First I would log into your Ammon Fiber Customer Portal.  Here you can see if your device is online.

If it is offline you can call Ammon Fiber.

You can call the City of Ammon during office hours 8am - 4:30pm at 208-612-4090

If it is online you can contact your ISP.

If you need support related to your internet, phone, or cable service, we would suggest trying to call your service provider first. If you can’t reach them, please call us.

ISP Support Numbers:

Advanced Stream:
(208)747-8000

Direct Communications:
(208)548-2683

Fybercom:
(208)403-0505

QwkNet:
(208)522-7638

Sumo Fiber:
(208)757-4000

Currently for T.V. service there is no fiber service.  But through the internet you can stream Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and many others. 

You can also continue to use your Sparklight, Direct TV and Dish Network.

Yes you can.

There is a service called Voice Over IP (VOIP) which is phone service via the internet. There are various third-party providers that even allow you to keep your same phone number, by porting.

We can recommend Ooma (https://www.ooma.com/home-phone/).

With Ooma you pay a one time charge for the phone base and/or equipment (https://www.ooma.com/home-phone/shop-home-phones/), + monthly 911 taxes (Ooma Tax Info https://www.ooma.com/home-phone-service/savings/#get-tax-calculator-position).

Their base phone service is free.  They do have other packages that costs.

You can port your current phone number to Ooma, usually a $39 charge (https://www.ooma.com/home-phone-service/choose-phone-number/).

You also can reach out to your new internet provider for suggestions and help with setup.