TeraSpan's Vertical Inlaid Fiber system is designed so that the fiber optic cables are protected within the rugged Vertical Deflecting Conduit (VDC), which is crush-resistant and able to withstand volatile weather conditions and extremes in temperature. The VDC is "zippered" closed over the cable and then placed in a slim cut in the infrastructure.

Cuts in hard infrastructures, such as asphalt or concrete, are made with a simple slab saw and are normally 0.5" inches wide and 4" or 5" deep. In soft infrastructures, the cuts are made with a small trenching machine. Ideally, cuts in the concrete follow the existing grout lines for aesthetic purposes.

Once the VDC is inserted, the small incision is immediately restored.

Cylindrical Access Nodes (CANs), which store slack cable, are placed at regular intervals along the route. This feature allows network owners to expand and "own" the neighborhood where they deploy. Every building the fiber passes can be connected quickly and inexpensively at any point after the initial deployment.