After an in-house design of the fiber build to the distribution access point, field engineers go to each pole to determine if any modifications are required in order to support the fiber, keeping in mind NESC clearance requirements. Line crews will change poles, move transformers from one side of the pole to the other, move wires on the pole, add new anchors to the poles, and perform other work to allow the fiber to be placed later.
In addition to engineering the design, other steps include obtaining permits, staking, coordinating with Miss Utility, finalizing ROW easements, and procuring material, all of which are done before construction can begin. This work has the widest variance in time of all construction phases. The make-ready construction phase can take five months or more to complete.