Telecommunications

Underground Construction is a leader in the design, construction and maintenance of communication infrastructures whether overhead or underground. We have constructed telephone, traditional copper, and fiber optic systems throughout the country. Our experience, coupled with our ability to keep pace with technological advances in the industry, has enabled us to provide high quality construction services to our communications customers.

Urban open cut trenching projects are one of Underground Construction’s specialties. Heavy traffic, existing utilities, and restricted work hours are par for the course in these environments. The challenge of completing time-sensitive projects in some of the nation’s most congested urban areas has been met successfully by Underground Construction Co. Inc.

Our open cut operations are complimented by our directional drilling capabilities which allow us to install conduit systems with minimal impact on congested streets and without harming environmentally sensitive areas. A highly experienced workforce and state-of –the-art equipment has allowed us to respond to the demands of completing projects with a minimum of disruption to the communities in which we work.

Completed Projects

Completed Projects List:

Project: El Camino Consortium – Design Build

Owner: Level 3, Qwest, AT&T, RCN, MMFN

This project involved the design, permitting and construction of 26.5 miles of trench, 8 million duct feet of conduit, over 1000 manholes, passing through 12 municipalities. The consortium consisted of 6 major telecommunication companies. Although the project only required an encroachment permit from Cal Trans, we were responsible to coordinate all the work with the corresponding municipality, obtain specific permits from the California Department of Fish and Game, Hetch Hetchy, and Cal Train for various crossings and/or environmental sites potentially impacted by the project. Underground Construction’s project team met weekly to coordinate all construction activities with the owner representatives, permitting agency, local municipalities, and the biological and cultural resource personnel. The project was designed, permitted and constructed in less than 12 months.

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Project: AT&T Lightspeed and Maintenance Services

Owner: AT&T

Underground Construction has been selected by AT&T for the construction of their U-verse project, including project management, construction management, construction services, and project coordination in the PG&E service areas of Northern California. The construction services include site preparation, construction of the node pad, grounding system and connections to the existing telephone and electrical facilities, along with setting the node cabinet.

In addition, we are providing F2 Conditioning services to upgrade the signal in preparation for U-verse.

Over the past 50 years, Underground has also provided dedicated crews to support AT&T’s needs for system maintenance and emergency services 7 days a week, 24 hours per day.

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Project: Hilo Spurs

Owner: Sandwich Isles Communications, Hilo, Hawaii

Underground Construction Co., Inc. in partnership with Island Mechanical Corporation installed a fiber optic conduit system in Hilo, HI. Our project was part of a $400 million network being constructed by Sandwich Isles Communications, Inc. on the Hawaiian Islands. The land based fiber-optic network linked all the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands properties and was connected to adjoining islands by undersea cables. This system provided state of the art Telephone Service and Internet access for their subscribers.

Nearly half the project was installed by directional drilling. Island Mechanical utilized a Ditch Witch 4020 and 2720 directional drilling machines to install the conduit system in the extremely abrasive lava rock. Hydraulic excavators were also utilized in the limited access areas, as well as Hydraulic Hammers. The 1-1/2” and 1-1/4” HDPE duct system was installed in the shoulder area of State and County roadways. We were awarded an additional 2.5-mile section that consisted of a manhole system in commercial and residential neighborhoods.

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Project: Telecommunications Backbones, San Francisco

Owner(s): AT&T, Level 3, GST, ICG, IXC, MFN, Qwest, RCN, SBC, Sprint, XO

During the telecommunications boom in San Francisco, most of the backbone was built by Underground Construction Co. Inc. We placed over forty miles of trench throughout the city, with much of the installation occurring at night in downtown streets already congested with utilities. Underground placed over five million trench feet of conduit and over 2,000 manholes in this period. We built everything from single carrier systems to joint trenches with five or six clients. All were completed under strict deadline conditions, as the importance of lighting up buildings was paramount. Underground crews had to cross Market Street no less than five times.

Underground designed and permitted over three-quarters of this work, showcasing a flexibility to work within city regulations and congested metropolitan environment to meet the requirements of our customers. It’s not possible to drive in downtown San Francisco without crossing a telecommunications line set by Underground Construction Co. Inc.

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Project: Oakland to San Jose

Owner: GST

While telecommunications work was ongoing in San Francisco and the Peninsula, Underground Construction Co. Inc, designed and built parallel structures in the East Bay. One job alone involved the construction of fifty miles of a new backbone through nine cities from Oakland to San Jose for telecommunications provider GST. As this was another job installed under an uncompromising schedule, Underground employed thirteen separate bore crews to perform the work. These crews crossed Interstate 880 twice, as well as three other major highways and multiple flood control canals.

Fifty miles of construction was completed in six months as Underground crews effectively “ringed the bay” with telecommunications structures.

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