The Faces of Fiber: Meet Ian Jameson

Q: What is your role at Clearnetworx and how long have you been a part of the team?

A: I started with Clearnetworx as a Splicer 4 years ago next month. For about 2 1/2 years, I’ve been on the Design Team primarily as a PON designer assigning fiber across our networks. Generally that entails making assignments on new build networks, maintaining existing networks, and supporting field techs with troubleshooting. 

Q: What first sparked your interest in engineering? Was there a specific moment in your life when you realized this was something you wanted to pursue? 

A: The first time I thought about it was thanks to an idea put in my head by Mike Tong, the person who first taught me how to splice here with Clearnetworx. After a few months of splicing, he mentioned that he thought I could be a designer. That vote of confidence and my growing interest and experience with fiber, coupled with the fact I’ve always been a computer guy, worked out great!

Q: You’re often described as the ‘brains’ behind how we physically get fiber into the ground. What is one part of the planning process that might surprise people or is more complex than they’d expect? 

 A: I don’t know that I help much (yet) with getting the fiber in the ground, I would say the primary pathway designers, project managers, and last foot crews should take the credit there. I’d say that without them, none of my assignments would mean anything if there’s no fiber to splice! With that said, something that’s more complex than many may expect is maintaining existing and legacy networks. Chase K, my first mentor in the design process, taught me from the very beginning the importance of keeping track of every single assignment for future reference – that has saved me more time than I could imagine. 

Q: Clearnetworx is all about community. When you are designing the infrastructure for a new neighborhood, what does it mean to you knowing your work is laying out the foundation for a local student’s education or a neighbor’s small business growth?  

 A: I feel great being part of a team all working together to bring internet to those who need it. Knowing that I’m one of the steps towards bringing information to curious minds and entrepreneurial spirits brings me a lot of fulfillment in my career. 

Q: Our goal is to provide ‘A Better Internet Experience.’ From an engineering perspective, what is the biggest difference between a standard internet connection and the fiber network you’re building here at Clearnetworx?

A: In my opinion, “A Better Internet Experience” comes from more than just the physical networks we’re designing and building here. That is certainly part of it, but I believe it comes down to the Clearnetworx culture and people. Faster, more reliable networks built and maintained by the very people that live here plays a key role in just why it’s a better experience. 

Q: From your perspective, what makes the fiber internet experience different from other types of internet – and why does it matter to the people using it? 

A: I would say the biggest plus to a fiber connection would be the reliability — Not just with 99% connection uptime today, but being able to maintain and improve upon that in 20 or more years. As we all consume more data, fiber infrastructure can be easily expanded upon and upgraded to serve the needs of the community. 

Q: Of all the projects or neighborhoods, you’ve engineered, is there one ‘connection story’ or a specific moment in the field that stands out as a reminder of why you love what you do? 

A: I recall a man I met when I was splicing just off of Pioneer Rd in Delta who shared a story with me about his experience with fiber. He showed me a laminated business card he’d owned for decades from his time working at AT&T in the San Franciso area in the late 70’s for the first fiber network in the state. It had strands of fiber under the lamination, preserved for all that time. The same base technology improved and utilized by us in our community nearly 50 years later. It’s amazing to think of how many connections have already been made, yet Clearnetworx saw the need for more to be made and is realizing that need. It’s great to be a part of that process.