If you have already read our Humble article you may recall we said we would be providing an explanation relating to the featured image at the top.
We don’t just horizontally bore underground holes for conduits that we install; We also are contracted to provide access to the installed conduit to enable the fiber optic internet cables, or indeed any other cables to be spliced or connected. That fiber cable work is done by the technicians who are qualified to work with those cables but we must provide them with the appropriate means of access to install the fiber cables.
In the photo above we are located in a commercial area of Porter, Texas on March 31, 2025. We are drilling to install a conduit and digging specific spots to enable the fiber optic cables to be routed to where they will need to go to provide services to local businesses.
These “junction boxes” have different names, depending on the type and purpose they serve. The main ones are Flowerpots, Brooks Boxes and Handholes.
Flowerpots
Flowerpots are also known as: “Pedestal Enclosures”
A flowerpot is a round or oval vertical enclosure, often made of plastic or composite material. It is shaped somewhat like a tapered pot—hence the name, and can either stand above ground, or be set totally below ground with the cap level with the surrounding topsoil or lawn
Usage:
- Commonly used in residential neighborhoods or light commercial areas.
- Typically used to house fiber splices or connections.
Allows technicians easy access above ground. - Ideal for drop cables going from the mainline to individual homes or buildings.
And here we are installing a flowerpot in this garden. This will be a below ground pot with the green lid set level with the lawn.
Handholes
Also known as: Pull box or access vault Handhole boxes can be made of polymer, fiberglass, or concrete. Similar to Brooks Boxes but generally smaller they are rectangular or round subsurface boxes that lie flush with the ground, with a removable lid.
Usage:
- They provide a point of access to pull or splice fiber optic cables along a conduit path.
- Are often placed at intervals along long cable routes or at cable junction points.
- Are used in both commercial and residential settings.
Brooks Boxes
Also known as: Vault-style enclosure or utility vault
A Brooks Box is a heavy-duty, rectangular or square concrete or polymer box installed below ground level with a lid at the surface.
The name comes from Brooks Products, a popular manufacturer, but it’s now a general term.
It is used for larger-scale fiber, electric, or telecom projects and can house multiple conduit entries, splice trays, slack loops, and sometimes active equipment.
Brooks Boxes are normally installed in streets, sidewalks, commercial zones, and campuses.
Their advantages include the fact that they are durable and secure, have a low visual impact (only the lid is visible), and can accommodate larger cable runs or multiple connections.
However, they are more expensive and labor-intensive to install, and their heavier lids require tools or equipment to access.
Our video below is an example of where a Brooks Box might well be used in view of the number of incoming and outgoing conduits and subsequent fiber optic cables likely to be installed. A larger and concrete version is the one being used in the Featured Image previously mentioned.