Overview
What it does
OPS America Network Ops runs the active network and the NOC: central offices with ODFs and OLTs, aggregation routers, BNGs, core and internet edge routers, and the DC power and HVAC that keep them running. The NOC watches every layer and dispatches crews when alarms fire.
On OPS Hub
OPS Hub → Operations centre, Alerts and the ISP pages.
On the phone
Engineers take central-office and NOC jobs in OPS Work.
What players physically do
Everything below happens in the world, with your character, where other players can see it.
- Install OLT shelves and patch PON ports on the ODF
- Install aggregation, BNG and internet edge routers in the central office
- Build the CO power plant: rectifiers, battery string and standby generator
- Fit HVAC to keep the equipment room cool
- Work PON alarms: trace the shared path from the OLT to the splitter and send crews
How the system works
How OPS America Network Ops's part of the world fits together — and what breaks when it doesn't.
US fiber network (OPS America)
One operator, every layer
There is no single US network company. OPS America plays a large US fiber operator that owns its access network end to end: customer premises, fiber access, PON, OLTs, aggregation, metro, core, internet edge, peering and transit, plus the OSS, BSS and NOC that run it.
Customer premises
The ONT terminates the fiber and hands Ethernet (1, 2.5 or 10 GbE) to the customer’s gateway, which does IPv4/IPv6, DHCP, NAT, firewall, routing and Wi-Fi. The ONT is tied to the subscriber in inventory and must be authorised by the OLT before service works.
PON & splitters
A passive optical network shares one OLT port among many homes through unpowered splitters (1:8 to 1:128). XGS-PON gives about 10 Gbit/s each way per PON; each customer’s speed is set by their service profile, not the PON total.
Feeder, distribution & drop
Feeder fiber runs from the central office to fiber distribution hubs (FDHs); distribution fiber runs to fiber distribution terminals (FDTs) on poles or in pedestals; the drop goes from the FDT to the house, aerially or buried in conduit.
Outside plant
Aerial plant hangs fiber lashed to messenger strand on utility poles, held with anchors and guy wires. Underground plant uses conduit, handholes, vaults, manholes and pedestals. Splice closures protect joins; slack is stored for repairs.
Central office
Fiber terminates on the ODF and is patched to OLT PON ports. OLTs uplink to aggregation routers and switches. DC power (rectifiers, batteries, generator) and HVAC keep it running; access control, CCTV and fire systems protect it.
Aggregation, metro & core
Aggregation collects many OLTs with redundant links. Metro networks join COs, data centres and edge sites. The core carries traffic between regions on 100–800 Gbit/s links, often over DWDM optical transport with ROADMs and amplifiers.
BNG & internet edge
BNGs handle subscriber sessions, IP addresses and policies. Edge routers connect to transit providers, internet exchanges and content networks using BGP; inside the network IS-IS or OSPF route traffic.
OSS, BSS & the NOC
OSS keeps the inventory, GIS, IPAM, provisioning and fault management; BSS handles orders, billing and customers. The NOC watches every layer and dispatches field techs. In OPS Hub these are the ISP pages, the maps, the Operations centre and Alerts.
When it goes wrong
One house down: check the ONT, optical power, connectors and drop. Many ONTs on one PON down together: the fault is shared — a fiber cut, damaged feeder or distribution cable, a failed splitter, an OLT port or power. The NOC traces it with inventory and sends OSP with an OTDR.
Every job
Every job OPS America Network Ops does. Open one to see who it's for, what the customer pays, what the engineer earns, the certificate needed, the parts used and exactly how the server checks the work was really done. A job is only paid when its check passes.
US central office & core network
The active network: OLTs, ODFs, aggregation, BNGs, core and edge routers, CO power and cooling.
OLT installation
$6,000engineer earns $1,600
Install an OLT shelf in the central office and patch its PON ports to the ODF.
Who it's for
Money
Customer pays $6,000; the engineer is paid $1,600 wages when it's signed off. The rest goes to the company.
Certificate
US central office & NOC required to accept this job.
How it's created
Raised by a customer, a fault or staff for a specific site. Covered by a warranty after completion.
How the server checks it was really done
Every part must be in place: 1 × OLT; 1 × ODF.
Training: US central office & core network — the full step by step, tools, PPE and hazards for this job.
ODF installation & patching
$1,800engineer earns $700
Fit an optical distribution frame, terminate the outside-plant fiber and label every circuit.
Who it's for
Money
Customer pays $1,800; the engineer is paid $700 wages when it's signed off. The rest goes to the company.
Certificate
US central office & NOC required to accept this job.
How it's created
Raised by a customer, a fault or staff for a specific site. Covered by a warranty after completion.
How the server checks it was really done
1 × ODF (optical distribution frame) must be placed within 60 m of the job, after the job was accepted.
Parts used from company stock
Training: US central office & core network — the full step by step, tools, PPE and hazards for this job.
Aggregation router turn-up
$4,000engineer earns $1,300
Install and power an aggregation router that collects traffic from the OLTs, with redundant uplinks.
Who it's for
Money
Customer pays $4,000; the engineer is paid $1,300 wages when it's signed off. The rest goes to the company.
Certificate
US central office & NOC required to accept this job.
How it's created
Raised by a customer, a fault or staff for a specific site. Covered by a warranty after completion.
How the server checks it was really done
1 × core / edge router must be placed within 60 m of the job, after the job was accepted.
Training: US central office & core network — the full step by step, tools, PPE and hazards for this job.
Internet edge / peering router
$4,500engineer earns $1,400
Install the edge router that connects to transit, peering and internet exchanges (BGP).
Who it's for
Money
Customer pays $4,500; the engineer is paid $1,400 wages when it's signed off. The rest goes to the company.
Certificate
US central office & NOC required to accept this job.
How it's created
Raised by a customer, a fault or staff for a specific site. Covered by a warranty after completion.
How the server checks it was really done
1 × core / edge router must be placed within 60 m of the job, after the job was accepted.
Training: US central office & core network — the full step by step, tools, PPE and hazards for this job.
BNG installation
$3,800engineer earns $1,200
Install the broadband network gateway that handles subscriber sessions, IP addresses and policies.
Who it's for
Money
Customer pays $3,800; the engineer is paid $1,200 wages when it's signed off. The rest goes to the company.
Certificate
US central office & NOC required to accept this job.
How it's created
Raised by a customer, a fault or staff for a specific site. Covered by a warranty after completion.
How the server checks it was really done
1 × core / edge router must be placed within 60 m of the job, after the job was accepted.
Training: US central office & core network — the full step by step, tools, PPE and hazards for this job.
Central office power plant
$5,000engineer earns $1,500
Rectifiers, battery string and a standby generator so the CO keeps running through outages.
Who it's for
Money
Customer pays $5,000; the engineer is paid $1,500 wages when it's signed off. The rest goes to the company.
Certificate
US central office & NOC required to accept this job.
How it's created
Raised by a customer, a fault or staff for a specific site. Covered by a warranty after completion.
How the server checks it was really done
Every part must be in place: 1 × Rectifiers / DC plant; 1 × Battery string; 1 × Standby generator.
Training: US central office & core network — the full step by step, tools, PPE and hazards for this job.
Central office HVAC
$2,500engineer earns $900
Indoor cooling unit and outdoor condenser to keep the equipment room in range.
Who it's for
Money
Customer pays $2,500; the engineer is paid $900 wages when it's signed off. The rest goes to the company.
Certificate
US central office & NOC required to accept this job.
How it's created
Raised by a customer, a fault or staff for a specific site. Covered by a warranty after completion.
How the server checks it was really done
Every part must be in place: 1 × Indoor unit; 1 × Condenser.
Training: US central office & core network — the full step by step, tools, PPE and hazards for this job.
US network operations (NOC)
Monitor the network and work alarms down to the fault — the NOC workflow.
PON alarm — multiple ONTs offline Emergency
No chargeengineer earns $500
NOC alarm: many ONTs on one PON dropped together. Trace the shared path — OLT port, feeder, FDH splitter, distribution — and restore it.
Who it's for
Money
Customer pays nothing (fault, emergency or covered work); the engineer is paid $500 wages when it's signed off. The rest goes to the company.
Certificate
Not required — the US central office & NOC course covers it.
How it's created
Raised by a customer, a fault or staff for a specific site. Emergency: tight SLA, top of the board.
How the server checks it was really done
Tracing the PON from the OLT to the splitter: the engineer works on site within 60 m of the job for 90 seconds.
Training: US network operations (NOC) — the full step by step, tools, PPE and hazards for this job.
Training & safety
Each group of jobs has a course in OPS Academy: the lesson below, a health & safety module, an exam and a practical. You can read all of it here, or take it on OPS Hub → Classroom, in the OPS Academy app on the phone or laptop, or at opsacademy.sa in game.
US central office & NOC · certificate required
US central office & core network
The active network: OLTs, ODFs, aggregation, BNGs, core and edge routers, CO power and cooling.
Overview
The central office (CO) houses the active network. Outside-plant fiber terminates on the optical distribution frame (ODF), where it is patched to OLT PON ports. Each OLT port serves many homes through splitters and handles ONT authentication, bandwidth, service profiles and VLANs. OLT uplinks feed aggregation routers and switches, which collect traffic from many OLTs with redundant links so one failure does not take an area down. Broadband network gateways (BNGs) handle subscriber sessions, IP addresses and policies. Aggregation connects to the metro and core networks — high-capacity routers on 100–800 Gbit/s links, often over DWDM optical transport — and the internet edge routers exchange routes with transit providers, internet exchanges and content networks using BGP. All of this runs on DC power from rectifiers with battery strings and a standby generator, and cooling that keeps the room in range.
The equipment — and what it does
Lights the PON, authenticates ONTs and applies service profiles. Multiple PON ports per shelf.
/towers → OPS America Fiber → Central office · optical & routing → OLT.
Terminates, organises and patches outside-plant fiber to equipment.
Central office · optical & routing → ODF.
Collects OLT traffic and carries it across the metro and core with redundancy.
Central office · optical & routing → Aggregation / core router.
BGP to transit and peering; subscriber sessions, IP assignment and policies.
Central office · optical & routing → Edge router / BNG.
Rectifiers turn AC into -48 V DC; batteries carry the load in an outage; a generator takes over for long ones.
Central office · power & HVAC.
Indoor cooling and an outdoor condenser keep the equipment room in temperature range.
Central office · power & HVAC.
Tools & protective equipment
Configures routers, NVRs and servers, runs speed tests and opens OPS Hub.
Measures how much light arrives down a fibre, and where along it a break or bad splice is.
Grounds you so static electricity doesn't destroy server and network boards.
Tightens electrical terminals and rack rails to the correct torque — not too loose, not stripped.
Labels both ends of every cable and port so the next engineer knows what is what.
Proves a circuit is dead before you touch it, and measures voltage, continuity and resistance.
Padlocks and tags that stop anyone switching a circuit back on while you work on it.
Grounds you so static electricity doesn't destroy server and network boards.
Protect your eyes from fibre shards, drilling dust and laser light.
Rated gloves for work near live electrical parts and for sharp metal edges.
Step by step
- Plan the changeCheck the design, rack space, power budget and a maintenance window with the NOC.
- Rack and earthRack the equipment, bond it to the CO earth, wear your ESD strap.
- Power itLand -48 V DC from the power plant on the right breaker; lock-off while you work.
- Patch the fiberPatch from the ODF to the OLT PON ports or router optics; clean and inspect every connector.
- Label everythingLabel ports, patches and circuits and update inventory.
- Turn upThe NOC loads the configuration, checks alarms, optics and traffic, and brings up redundancy.
Health & safety — hazards and controls
Battery strings can deliver huge currents — burns and arc flash.
Insulated tools, lock-off, no jewellery, eye protection.
ESD destroys line cards and optics.
Wear an ESD wrist strap when handling cards.
High-power optics can damage eyes.
Never look into ports or patch cords.
Heavy shelves and batteries cause injuries.
Two-person lifts and lifting aids.
What goes wrong if it's done badly
A whole neighbourhood lands on the wrong OLT port — nobody activates.
One link failure takes the whole area offline.
Batteries run flat in a long outage and the CO goes dark.
Equipment overheats and shuts down.
Unplanned outage for thousands of customers.
Assessment
US central office & NOC
US network operations (NOC)
Monitor the network and work alarms down to the fault — the NOC workflow.
Overview
The NOC watches every layer: access (ONTs, OLTs), aggregation, metro, core, optical transport, internet edge, data centres and power. Network management systems raise alarms when thresholds are crossed — ONTs offline, optical levels low, interfaces down, high temperature. When several customers on the same PON drop at once, the cause is shared: a fiber cut, damaged feeder or distribution cable, a failed splitter, an OLT port or card, or power. The NOC compares the affected customers using inventory, narrows it to a section, checks the OLT, and dispatches OSP with the location. After the fix, optical levels and ONTs are checked and the incident is closed.
The equipment — and what it does
Watches device status, interfaces, optics, temperature and power and raises alarms.
OPS Hub → Operations centre and Alerts.
Records every fiber, splice, splitter, port and customer so faults can be traced.
OPS Hub → Internet, poles & faults.
Shows which ONTs on each PON port are up or down.
In the central office.
Tools & protective equipment
Configures routers, NVRs and servers, runs speed tests and opens OPS Hub.
Measures how much light arrives down a fibre, and where along it a break or bad splice is.
Makes you visible to traffic and protects your head from falling objects and low beams.
Protect your eyes from fibre shards, drilling dust and laser light.
Step by step
- Acknowledge the alarmNote the PON, the OLT port and how many ONTs dropped.
- Compare the customersFind the shared path — same FDH, same feeder, same splitter.
- Check the OLTPort and card status, optics, power at the CO.
- DispatchSend OSP to the section with the location and distance.
- Confirm restorationONTs back online, optical levels good — close the incident.
Health & safety — hazards and controls
Mistakes during long outages.
Hand over properly between shifts and keep notes.
Live equipment and DC power.
Follow CO safety: ESD, insulated tools, no work without a change.
What goes wrong if it's done badly
Many techs dispatched to homes while the real fault stays.
Customers still down with no open incident.
Assessment
Certificates
| Certificate | Valid for | Needed for |
|---|---|---|
| US central office & NOC | 60 days | OLT installation, ODF installation & patching, Aggregation router turn-up, Internet edge / peering router, BNG installation, Central office power plant, Central office HVAC |
Stock & suppliers
Parts this company keeps in stock. Jobs use them up; managers reorder from suppliers with purchase orders, and stock below its minimum raises an alert.
| Part | Unit | Cost | Reorder below | Supplier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Splice protectors splice | each | $0 | 50 | LS Cable & Wire 1 h delivery · On account |
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