FAQ
Check the interactive map to see which areas of Pella have active Pella Fiber service, are in progress, are on hold, or are proposed for future expansion. Enter your address to learn if Pella Fiber is available to you!
Fiber cables contain optical fiber, which are hair-thin strands of glass specially designed to trap and transmit light pulses. Unlike copper that is still widely used, optical fiber can carry data for great distances without signal loss or interference. Optical fiber can also transmit signals in both directions simultaneously — allowing you to upload and download at extremely high speeds.
Think unlimited bandwidth capacity combined with lightning-fast internet speeds. A fiber connection is a game changer — it will enable you to enjoy a better online experience with data-intensive applications such as streaming, online gaming, cloud storage, online education and more.
Fiber also increases service reliability and stability. Iowa’s toughest weather is no match for our underground network. We bury fiber-optic cables to ensure they will endure harsh environmental factors such as sunlight, storms, snow and high winds. Our fiber is strong, weatherproof and UV-resistant. Not only that but having a fiber connection may increase the value of a home by several thousand dollars and increase the amount renters are willing to pay.
Constructing a fiber optic network can take quite a while to complete. We worked with local entities to be sure we could build the network in the public right-of-ways and existing utility easements in your neighborhood. Existing utilities were located and marked to avoid damaging water, sewer and power services.
Then, mainline construction began. These are the main fiber feeds from our central office equipment and the service lines in your yard. Mainlines are built in the right-of-way and terminate in area cabinets. Pella Fiber cabinets are placed flush with the ground and are marked with our logo.
During this time, our business office reached out to every location in the community to get permission for a fiber service line to be installed on each property.
1. Drop Permission form
2. What happens after I give permission for a fiber service drop?
The next step is a Site Survey. A site survey appointment is when a technician comes out to your home and works with you to find the best access point to bring the fiber service line inside. The technician maps out the route the fiber service line will be placed. A ‘NID’ our terminal housing box is placed on the side of the building at this time. This is where the fiber will eventually come inside.
3. Pre-Installation / Service line drop
Once our transmission and mainline fiber is in place and spliced, all the necessary electronic equipment is installed, and site surveys are completed, ‘drop crews’ work through each area to install individual service lines.
Drop installation, or the pre-install, brings fiber from curb to your home. Sometimes, based on available supplies, a conduit will be buried first, and crews will come a second time to pull fiber through that drop.
There is no cost to property owners to have the facilities placed from the curb to the home or business.
4. Sign Up
For homes, see if your address is in an open fiber area. If your address is eligible, you will be directed to an online form to sign up and let us know what services you are interested in. PDF applications are also available from Customer Service at City Hall or by emailing connect@pellafiber.com.
You will receive a confirmation message from our Customer Service staff after your order is submitted. They will continue to stay connected through each step of the process – site survey to home install.
If you haven’t heard from us in awhile, feel free to reach out and ask the status of your property. We’d be happy to check for you and explain what is coming next.
What does the installation to my personal residence look like?
Once the fiber line is inside your home, our technician will install an indoor Optical Network Terminal, or ONT. This is a required piece of equipment that converts the fiber into a useable Ethernet cable that will connect to the included router. Sometimes, the ONT and router are all in one box. Either way, they are both provided by Pella Fiber and included in the price of internet.
Once the ONT and router are in place, the technician will set up your Wi-Fi access. The technician will work with you to find the best place for your router to distribute the Wi-Fi signal throughout your home. The technician will also make sure you have the information you need in order to connect your devices to the new Wi-Fi.
Please let the technician know if you have an area of your home that does not usually get good Wi-Fi signal. We have Wi-Fi signal extenders that may be able to help with those low signal spots. One Wi-Fi extender is included in the internet price.
In addition to the box on the outside of your home, there will be a network terminal and a router installed. The location the equipment will be placed was discussed during your site survey. All this equipment is included at no additional charge to you.
You don’t need to buy a router; we include the equipment necessary to provide Wi-Fi in your home.
If you prefer to use your own router, please tell the Customer Service Representative when you schedule the installation appointment.
The ONT needs to be plugged into a power source in order to work. Without a backup power source, if your electricity goes out then your internet will not work. Once electricity is restored your internet will boot right back up with no need to reset any equipment. To help prevent loss of internet during a power outage, you can purchase a backup battery from Pella Fiber or other sources.
We offer an optional battery backup that will keep your phone jacks active during a power outage. This requires use of a telephone that plugs into a phone jack only, with no separate power cord. Contact Customer Service at 641-628-4173 for more information about purchasing an eight hour or 24-hour battery back up.
Usually if your internet service is not working, your phone service will also be out.
We do not require a contract for Pella Fiber service.
There are no data limits on Pella Fiber’s internet service. We do not ‘throttle’ or limit your speeds after a certain amount of data has been used. This is true unlimited data.
We offer high speed connections up to 1 gigabit (that’s 1,000 megabits) per second download and upload.
We publish outage and maintenance information at status.pellafiber.com. You can subscribe to notifications here as well.
If there is no reported outage or maintenance, call Technical Support at 641-628-4173. This Midwest based support team is available 24/7, 365.
Yes, you can keep your number if your number is based out of Pella. We will place an order with your current provider to ‘port’ your number to Pella Fiber. This order requires your current provider account number AND the porting passcode. We will issue a new number if your current number is from out of the area, or if you prefer to change your number.
There are a few ways to reach us to report an issue:
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Technical Support 641-628-4173
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Log into your SmartHub account, click on Trouble Ticket/Inquiry under ‘My Services’ or at the top right of the screen.
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Email support@pellafiber.com
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During business hours, call Customer Service at 641-628-4173.
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Pella Fiber bills are mailed on the first day of the month. They are due on the 20th of that month. If you are unable to pay by the 20th, please contact Customer Service to make a payment arrangement.
Sometimes a one month service deposit is required. Contact Customer Service for more information about this.