Construction Tools & Info

Frequently Asked Questions

What am I signing up for?

Installation of High Speed Broadband Fiber Optic cable to my home or business. The sign up information will be sent to CenturyLink in early November. It will tell CenturyLink you are a Boulder Junction property owner/tenant who wants High Speed Fiber Optic Broadband installed to your home or business. It is critical you complete ALL information on the Sign-Up form. After CenturyLink loads the sign up information into its system you will be contacted to place a service order on their online portal shortly before High Speed Broadband service is available. Timing is dependent upon each Phase 1 project location, but is expected to be June through December 2021. Details.



How much will the service cost?

MONTHLY COST: CenturyLink High Speed Broadband - $49 (up to 100Mbps) to $65 (1Gbps) *Modems or special installation costs may apply to certain subscription services *CenturyLink has the right to change their service fees at anytime. The town of Boulder Junction has no involvement in CenturyLink Service Plans. Details.



Will CenturyLink continue their seasonal program?

CenturyLink has a vacation program, but restrictions apply.



When will I be contacted by CenturyLink?

CenturyLink will contact you after Sign Up so you can place a service order through their online portal. The service order will initiate the fiber optic cable drop to your home or business, the installation of required electronics, and activation of your service.



Do I need to be at my home / business when the Fiber Optic Cable is installed?

At some point someone will need to be at your home or business to allow for the electronics to be installed (if interior installation is agreed with CenturyLink) and then to activate your service. In addition, before the fiber optic cable drop is installed to your home or business non-utility (gas, power, telephone) items buried in the path of the fiber optical cable will need to be marked by you or someone familiar with their location.



Is my area included in Phase 1 of the project?

Please see the Phase 1 Project maps. Exact addresses will be available in the upcoming months. CenturyLink has made it clear they will not build beyond the Phase 1 Project Areas. Detailed Maps.



Can I keep my land line and my current phone number?

You will be able to keep your current telephone number. CenturyLink’s strategy is to replace their copper-based telephone service with voice over internet protocol (VoIP) using the fiber optic cable, but it is unsure if it will roll out that new technology for the Boulder Junction Phase 1 project or not. If they do not roll out this new technology in time, telephone service will continue to be provided via the current copper landline until CenturyLink changes it.



If I sign up now, will I be immediately billed for service I might not want?

Boulder Junction’s sign-up campaign is no risk to you. You will not commit to a CenturyLink subscription until you place an order with CenturyLink for fiber to be installed to your home or business and to get High Speed Broadband service (estimated to be in March to July 2021). Signing up now helps CenturyLink understand how successful this project can be for them as well as helping Boulder Junction’s chances of getting another Wisconsin Public Service Grant in 2021 for Phase 2 to get High Speed Broadband to the rest of the Town.



Can I still sign up for High Speed Broadband even thought the deadline has passed?

Yes. Installation may still be "Free" for late signups. CenturyLink will determine what the installation charge, if any, will be assessed to anyone who signs up after the October 31, 2020 Deadline. Go to Sign Up Page



LAWN REPAIR:  My lawn has not been restored by Lumen yet, what do I do?

Lumen construction crews will be repairing lawns from trenching damage after they complete the fiber installation in an area. We ask for your patience as the crews need to get all the fiber installed before they can do the repair work. But, if two months have passed since fiber was installed and your lawn has not been restored by Lumen’s construction team, please complete this form. Click here for the form.



SITE DROPS:  Do I need to mark private utilities/underground items on my property?

Yes. You will want to mark all private underground items (water lines, electric, cable, gas lines, etc.) when you order Fiber Optic Broadband Service from Lumen. After you place the order with Lumen, they will request a One-Call Locate to mark the underground utilities that were installed by a utility company. The locate service does not know about, and therefore cannot mark, any private underground items you had installed (directly or through a contractor). The list of items includes anything buried that Lumen needs to know about to run the fiber from the road to your house/business buildings. Some common items include: an underground sprinkler system; LP gas lines, well water line, septic systems including the holding tank, drain field, and laterals; cable to a satellite dish or TV antenna; underground fence wires; service to outbuildings, etc., etc., etc. You should determine the type of visible marking of these underground items that works best for you and your property. Some ideas include using flagging tape on a wooden stake, spray painting the ground, using marking flags (metal sticks with a flag). You will only need to mark the underground items that are in the path between the road and your house/business where the fiber optic cable will be buried. In addition to marking anything buried underground, you should also prepare a site plan showing where these items are and share the site plan with Lumen before they trench the fiber cable on your property. The site plan should show the location of the underground items and their relationship to the road and house/business building to receive the fiber drop. You can also mark your proposed drop placement along with the location for fiber to enter the building. If you mark a proposed drop placement path, please do not use anything that has caution or label the path as a utility type such as electric, gas or communication as this would be construed as that utility is in place and should be avoided. A Lumen technician will visit your home/business before the drop is placed so you should have the opportunity to discuss then.



SITE DROPS: Can I provide Lumen with a recommended path for the Fiber Optic Drop and where the Fiber cable should enter my house/business?

Yes. Lumen will welcome your suggestion on the drop placement along with the location where you want the fiber to enter your house/business and will work with you to determine the optimal path for the Fiber Optic Drop. When you order Fiber Optic Service, be sure to notify Lumen you want to provide input on the drop placement and have a site plan prepared. You should add your proposed fiber path to your site plan showing all underground items. Share the completed site plan with Lumen during the technician’s visit to mark the location of the drop. If you cannot be at your house/business when Lumen marks the drop, provide the site plan by placing in a sealed bag and attaching it to your fire address number or something that would be visible to Lumen personnel. Additionally, you may want to mark the location for the Fiber Optic trench using stakes, paint, or marking flags. If you mark a proposed drop placement path, please do not use anything that has caution or label the path as a utility type such as electric, gas or communication as this would be construed as that utility is in place and should be avoided.



SITE DROPS: What happens if an underground item is damaged when Lumen trenches the Fiber Optic Drop?

While Lumen will do their best to avoid underground items, it is possible the trenching machine damages something that was unknown, or the location was not precise. If this happens and you feel your safety is at risk call 911 immediately and when it is safe to do so turn off the connection to underground item that was damaged (power, water, gas, etc.). Work with the Lumen crew to document the damages by taking pictures and writing a description of the damage. Lumen, as part of the Broadband project, will repair/restore the damage so you can use the underground utility item again. Once Lumen has completed the repair/restore, you should immediately turn the underground service back on to ensure it works while the Lumen crew is onsite. If you are unsuccessful in working with Lumen to resolve the repair/restore, please use the “Contact Us” at boulderbroadband.com to send an email to the Committee so the matter can be escalated to Lumen. *Please note the Town of Boulder Junction is not involved in the repair/restore of personal property.



PRIVATE EASEMENTS: What do I do if access to my property uses an easement?

OK, this one is complicated. Many of you live on private roads. Many private roads bisect multiple properties. In order to lay fiber to these homes and businesses, Lumen will need to have an easement from each property owner whose property the private road bisects. Told you it was complicated. Here is the easement template Lumen uses... Lumen Easement Template Here is how this will work... Once an order is placed for broadband, Lumen’s technician will conduct an initial assessment. If your location is on a private road, Lumen will need to secure permission (executed easement) from each property owner the private road bisects between the Town road and your home/business. The High Speed Broadband Committee will help share the information and work with Lumen to identify those affected areas, but it will be up to you to work with Lumen and private road property owners to get this easement approved. Once the easement(s) are executed fiber drops to your home/business will be placed. Can this cause delays in your installation? You bet. That is why we are telling you now. Please start talking with your neighbors and private road property owners.



LUMEN HARDWARE:  What will Lumen be placing inside my home to facilitate my HSBB service?

OPTICAL NETWORK TERMINALS (ONT) An ONT is an electronic device Lumen will place in your home/business that converts the light of the fiber to data so you can get high-speed broadband. For Boulder Junction, Lumen has decided to use a new state of the art device which acts as the ONT as well as a modem (gateway) and router, if you so choose. Click HERE to learn more about this cool device. Lumen will primarily use this device, however, it needs to be in a heated space when operating. If you close down your cabin/home/business, turning it off will need to be part of your close-up procedures. More information will be forthcoming.



PRIVATE EASEMENTS: What do I do if I have received an easement package from Mid-States Consultants?

Have you received an easement packet? If so, please review it now! If you approve - please sign it, and return it to Mid-States after you make a copy for your records. If you have questions - please contact Mid-States immediately for answers so you can return your packet to them as soon as possible. The field agent is listed on your cover letter, or if necessary, contact Supervisor Tony Owens at towens@mscon.com. If you wish to involve an attorney - please share it with them now, at your own expense, to review so you can return your packet to Mid-States as soon as possible. IMPORTANT: Once Lumen receives the easements, they will need to update their databases before you can place your order - so delays on easements will lead to delays in getting to order the service.