Construction Information

Wondering what to expect during construction of our fiber network?

We’re here to keep you in the know throughout the entire process!

We’re building our 100% fiber network from the ground up to bring some of the best internet speeds in the nation to our members’ homes and businesses, using the fastest delivery method currently available. We are committed to keeping our members in the know about the process. Check out below for more information on the construction process.

Prior to your zone opening, several steps (involving several different crews) will be completed.

Stages of Construction

Preparation

Right of Way
• Vegetation management crews follow the existing electrical pathways clearing areas surrounding our electrical poles and lines, to make way and ready the workspace for fiber installation crews.
• Make ready engineering/construction. CEMC contractor crews follow vegetation management crews and check each pole to ensure they are ready and equipped to receive fiber. These crews will perform any needed changes on the poles to ready them for fiber during this process.

Mainline Construction

Our mainline construction partner is Ervin Cable Construction. Ervin Cable Construction crews will be working on Cumberland Connect's behalf during the following stages of construction. There are 4 main steps during mainline construction: During mainline construction, in most cases, crews will follow the existing electrical pathways (whether underground or overhead) with construction.

It's important to us that our members have a good experience during the course of our fiber construction. We value your feedback and we want to hear from you.

If you have any questions or concerns about fiber construction in your area, please reach out to us by emailing your information to construction@cumberlandconnect.org and we'll reach out to you directly.

1) Boring, Pulling Pipe & Setting Pedestals (Underground Utilities)

When electrical pathways are underground, crews will bore in order to connect our pipes from one point to another. Boring allows our crews to make this connection without destroying the existing surrounding landscape and obstacles on the ground between the two points. Boring allows us to complete our construction with minimal disruption to your neighborhood by going underneath driveways, sidewalks, and fences.

The fiber will meet in a pedestal which is placed on the ground by crews. The pedestal serves as housing and protection for the branches of fiber. These pedestals are easily accessible for splicing crews once the time comes to drop/pull fiber to your home or business.

Our crews will be taking the utmost care to ensure that we avoid any disruption to your property. We want our members to have the best experience possible during and beyond our construction, so our crews take every possible precaution and proactive measure to ensure minimal disruptions on your property.

Our crews will call 811 to locate any utility lines on your property. These include public utility lines for water, electric, and broadband services.

Please note: Cumberland Connect relies on other providers to cooperate with us when locating underground lines. At times, other providers will not locate their lines prior to our construction, which may unfortunately result in lines being temporarily disrupted. Please know that it is our intention to complete our construction with no disruptions to you and your neighbors — if you have any concerns throughout our construction, please email our construction team directly at construction@cumberlandconnect.org.

2) Pulling Strand & Lashing Fiber (Overhead Utilities)

Overhead mainline fiber construction is a two step process. First, the strand cable is installed and will serve as a backbone for the fiber lines. Next, crews will lash (wrap) fiber onto the previously installed strand cable. The fiber is accessed from a tap which is placed on poles by crews. A tap can be thought of as a transformer, feeding the fiber to your home from the mainline. The tap serves as housing and protection for the branches of fiber. These tap are easily accessible for splicing crews once the time comes to drop/pull fiber to your home or business.

3) Splicing

After mainline construction crews have installed fiber and pedestals, the next step is for our splicing crews to come in. Splicing is a very important step because it plays a large role in determining the quality of the light that travels throughout the fiber network. Proper splicing is key to a successful connection (uninterrupted light traveling throughout the network) being delivered to your home or business.

4) Clean Up

Construction can be messy, but we will strive to take every precaution to ensure minimal disturbance to your neighborhood during the process. We will be diligent in cleaning up after ourselves after construction is completed in your area.

Once our crews complete the underground construction in your area, we will ensure that your property is returned to its original condition. We do so by filling in any digging areas and laying grass seed over these affected areas. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your property during or after our construction, please contact us directly by emailing construction@cumberlandconnect.org

You may see crews in your area on and off for several months performing any of the work described above. We will do our best to keep you informed, but feel free to reach out to us directly with questions or concerns, please email us directly at:

construction@cumberlandconnect.org

Drops On Your Property After Service Sign-Up

What to Expect

What can you expect during your drop construction?

After you have signed up for Cumberland Connect fiber services, our drop service partners will be preparing for and performing your drop construction. During your drop, crews will be visiting your property to connect the fiber communications line to the outside of your home or business. During drop construction, crews will in most cases follow the existing path of electricity on your property when constructing the connection from the mainline fiber to the outside of your home or business.

We’ll need your help identifying any unforeseen issues that could prevent us from completing the job.

If any of these apply to your property, please notify us right away by emailing: install@cumberlandconnect.org so that we can better coordinate our visit:

- Private Utility Lines (this includes any kind of electric, water, sewer, etc that you may have buried on your property)
- Buried landscaping lighting
- Invisible pet fencing
- Sprinkler and/or irrigation systems
- Locked gates or fencing that would prevent access to your property

Fiber to the Home

Precautions We Take During Construction on Your Property

Steps We Take to Ensure Minimal Disturbance to Your Property

We want our members to have the best experience possible during and beyond our construction, so our crews take every possible precaution and proactive measure to ensure minimal disruptions on your property. Our crews will call 811 to locate any utility lines on your property. These include public utility lines for water, electric, and broadband services.

During Underground Construction

During underground construction, our crews will use a process called directional boring to run fiber to your home. This process helps ensure minimum disturbance to your property because it allows our crews to run fiber lines deep underground with minimal digging required. Our directional boring equipment will only need to dig in a small area of your property to allow for the fiber lines to be run underground — rather than having to dig up large areas of your yard (known as trenching).

Directional Borer

Once our crews complete this part of the process, we will ensure that your property is returned to its original condition. We do so by filling in any digging areas and laying grass seed over these affected areas. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your property during or after our construction, please contact us directly by emailing construction@cumberlandconnect.org.

Locates on Your Property

We need your help too.

If you are aware of any private non-utility lines on your property, we need your help locating them no later than prior to your scheduled drop (after you've signed up for fiber services).

For more information on locating buried private non-utility lines on your property, learn more below.

Locating buried private non-utility lines on your property

By locating buried private non-utility lines on your property before our crews arrive (including anything past your meter), you can help us avoid accidents on your property during fiber construction and during later drops. Non-utility lines can be marked using yard flags, spray painting approximate lines around the area on your lawn, or by speaking directly with our crew foreman on site.

Examples of private non-utility lines:

-Drainage pipes

-Buried electric fences

-Buried landscape lighting

-Invisible pet fences

-Sprinkler and/or irrigation systems

-Propane lines

-Private water, electric, and/or natural gas lines run past the meter. Utility companies typically locate their side of the lines, but these locates may not include additional lines run throughout your property.

-Future backyard projects and renovations. If you plan on completing a project on your property in the coming months or even years, let us know and we can run our lines around the projected project area.

Visit Tennessee 811 for More Private Locate Information.

TENN811 Private Locate Information