There's no single 'right' way to build fibre down a street. Aerial and underground each have their place, and the best programmes mix the two — sometimes within a few hundred metres. Here's how the choice actually gets made.
Underground: robust but expensive
Putting fibre in the ground — in existing or new duct — is the most resilient option. It's protected from weather, traffic and interference, and it's often what residents and planners prefer to see. The downside is cost and time: excavation is the most expensive part of any build, and it comes with permits, traffic management and reinstatement.
Aerial: fast and cost-effective, with caveats
Hanging fibre on poles is quicker and cheaper — less digging, fewer permits, faster to homes passed. It's a strong choice in areas already served by overhead lines. The caveats: pole condition and capacity have to be surveyed, wayleaves and clearances checked, and overhead routes are more exposed to storm damage over their life.
PIA: reuse what's already there
Often the best answer is neither new trench nor new pole, but reusing Openreach's existing ducts and poles through PIA. Where there's spare capacity, it captures much of the cost saving of aerial with the resilience of existing infrastructure — provided the survey and admin are done properly.
It's a street-by-street decision
On a real build, the method changes block by block: existing duct here, spare pole capacity there, a short new-dig to bridge a gap. The skill is in the design — reading each street and choosing the method that balances cost, resilience and disruption for that stretch, then stitching it into one coherent network.
The common thread: survey first
Whatever the mix, it rests on a good survey. Know what's in the ground and on the poles, and the method almost chooses itself. Guess, and you pay for it later.
Weighing up a build and not sure which method fits where? Get in touch and we'll help you design it.