Aerial Construction

1. Planning & Design

• Pole surveys: Engineers inspect poles to determine if they can support new fiber cables, checking height, load capacity, and clearances.

• Permitting & agreements: The company coordinates with power companies or pole owners to secure attachment rights.

• Route planning: Designs balance efficiency, safety, and accessibility while avoiding unnecessary detours.

2. Construction Methods

• Pole attachments: Crews climb poles or use bucket trucks to install new hardware (brackets, anchors, lashings).

• Cable placement: Fiber cables are either:

  • Lashed to a supporting strand wire, or

  • Self-supporting (ADSS – All-Dielectric Self-Supporting), meaning no extra strand is needed.

• Over-lash: In some cases, new fiber can be lashed on top of existing cables to save space and time.

3. Fiber Splicing & Distribution

• Splice closures: Protective cases where fiber strands are fused together. Mounted on poles at access points.

• Service drops: Smaller fiber lines run from the main aerial route to homes or businesses.

• Slack storage: Extra loops of fiber are coiled and stored on poles to allow for future repairs or rerouting.

4. Restoration & Safety

• Crews ensure proper clearances between power, telecom, and fiber lines.

• Vegetation may be trimmed to maintain access and prevent damage.

• All work is inspected for compliance with utility standards and safety codes.

5. Advantages of Aerial Construction

• Speed: Much quicker to deploy than underground builds.

• Cost-effective: Avoids trenching, boring, and extensive surface restoration.

• Accessibility: Easier to maintain, repair, and upgrade compared to buried fiber.

• Scalability: New lines can often be added without major construction.