1. Locate existing utilities. Before construction, we request that utility companies come out and mark the locations of their lines to prevent damage. Utility companies mark the places of their underground utilities using spray paint or flags. Even if you decide not to opt in to our Fast Fiber, this step will impact you.

2. Place fiber along the road. Smithville installs some fiber optic cables on utility poles, making fiber internet construction quicker and more cost-efficient. Aerial fiber installation eliminates the need for digging, reducing the likelihood of encountering rock. In other areas, underground installations may be performed using directional boring, which places fiber at least 3 feet deep with minimal disruption. Our team may dig in the yard to verify the location of other utilities. Along this path, we will install handholes to allow us access to our fiber when necessary. Even if you decide not to opt in to our Fast Fiber, this step will impact you. Please exercise caution around crews working near the roadside.

3. Connect the fiber to the outside of your home. After all mainline construction is complete, we will contact you if you’ve already requested service. Our team will ask you to sign a permission form so we can avoid areas like sprinkler systems or invisible dog fences. When the Smithville team confirms your order, they will work with you to connect the fiber from the right-of-way to your home using an aerial or buried connection. Then, we’ll connect the fiber to a small connection box on the outside of your home.

4. Install fiber-optic cable in your home with the help of a Smithville technician. We will revisit your home to finalize the installation, connect all the necessary components, and activate your selected services. We will be happy to teach you about the equipment if you have any questions.

Aerial fiber is fiber optic cable that is installed on utility poles instead of being buried. Aerial fiber reduces the installation cost and speeds up the network construction timeline.

The black cases are referred to as splicing terminals. They connect fiber lengths and make repairs between fiber sections much easier.

Directional boring is the method we use to dig the path for our underground fiber. The machine is quite large, but ultimately, the drill head bores a small hole at the desired depth, creating a cavity for our fiber duct with minimal above-ground disruption.

Our construction crews use sand to partially fill holes because it settles less than regular soil. Then, the team layers soil on top of the sand to keep your yard looking as it was before construction.

That’s a hand hole. Hand holes are placed periodically along the road during underground installation.

They provide access points to our fiber. We install them on, or as close as possible to, the property line and flush with the ground so you can mow right over them.

The right-of-way is legally designated for utility placement, sidewalks, and other public use.
It is generally the land 25 feet to either side of the road’s centerline—approximately five to ten
feet of yard adjacent to the street.

Unfortunately, yes. Since this is an outside construction project, weather plays a significant role in determining whether we can keep our crew on the job site day after day. Inclement weather will delay our work and keep our crews inside, not just because bad weather makes it challenging to work but also for their safety. The bottom line is that bad weather can delay the project.

Bringing Fast Fiber Internet to your area requires us to build past every home and down every road. This is accomplished through construction in the right-of-way, which affects everyone to some extent. Having fiber service available in your home can also increase its value.