Best Conduit for Fiber Projects: Microduct or Traditional?

Building a fiber network comes with a lot of choices, but few have as much impact as the conduit system you pick.

Labor costs, long timelines, and the need to scale over time make this decision more than just a material selection. It’s a question of how to meet today’s needs without driving up costs tomorrow.

Traditional conduit has long been the standard, but more project teams are turning to microduct systems like Atkore’s Micro-Path™. Understanding the differences between the two can help you choose the best fit for your project.

What Are Your Budget and Long-Term Cost Goals?

Cost is always a factor when selecting a conduit system. While some may assume microduct is the cheaper option upfront, that’s not always the case.

In most projects, the initial installation costs are comparable to traditional conduit systems. The difference shows up over time.

Traditional conduit often requires larger enclosures, more frequent splicing, and additional trenching when upgrades are needed. These costs grow with each expansion.

Microduct is designed to reduce those future expenses. It allows for a phased build, with extra pathways installed but unused until needed. When network demand increases, new fiber optic cables can be added without tearing up the ground or replacing conduit.

This approach helps avoid construction delays and unexpected labor costs in the future. Over the full life of the system, that long-term flexibility can lead to significant savings.

What’s Your Installation Timeline and Crew Capacity?

Installing traditional conduit is labor-intensive. Fiber pulling typically maxes out at 600 feet between access points, with speeds around 100 feet per minute.

Each segment requires time to reset, reposition equipment, and manage tension on the line. Manholes or handholes are often required every few hundred feet, which adds to both the timeline and construction cost.

This method also requires larger crews and specialized pulling equipment, such as capstans and trailers. With every reset and splice, the job slows down.

Microduct changes that pace. Crews can use air-assisted jetting, also known as air-blown fiber installation, to deploy cable at speeds of 200 to 300 feet per minute.

Fiber jetting installations can stretch over thousands of feet without needing to stop or reset. Because jetting reduces friction and sidewall pressure, it puts less strain on the cable and the team.

Setups are faster, fewer people are needed on site, and there are fewer interruptions along the route. For projects with tight schedules or limited labor, microduct can help keep things moving smoothly.

How Will You Handle Future Network Growth?

Most networks will need to scale in order to accommodate future demand.

Once installed, available space inside traditional conduit can fill up quickly. Adding new capacity later often means trenching again, replacing innerduct, or installing new runs entirely. Each of these steps drives up labor, material, and permitting costs.

Microduct gives you more flexibility from the start. Systems can be installed with unused pathways left in place for future fiber. When it’s time to scale, you don’t need to dig or replace the communications infrastructure. You just blow in new cable.

This flexibility also applies to existing networks. Microducts can be installed inside occupied conduit, using override techniques to create new pathways without disrupting what’s already in use.

The ability to adapt without rebuilding makes microduct a strong fit for networks that need to grow in phases. It offers a scalable foundation without the cost and complexity of starting over.

For growing networks, this flexibility matters.

What Level of Protection and Adaptability Do You Need?

Traditional conduit systems offer physical protection, but they often rely on larger diameters and outer ducts to shield the fiber.

These setups can be rigid and harder to adapt in the field. Expanding or modifying the traditional conduit system typically requires more material, more labor, and more time.

Some projects use fabric dividers as an alternative, but these provide minimal protection. They’re not designed for direct burial and must be enclosed in a larger conduit to avoid damage.

Microduct made from HDPE offers both flexibility and strength. It protects fiber from pressure, abrasion, and environmental stress, and it can be installed directly without a secondary outer layer. With microduct, you get a protective pathway that adapts easily to the project’s needs.

Atkore’s Micro-Path™ system builds on that with multiple size and color options, a wide range of accessories, and configurations for direct bury, aerial, or retrofit jobs. It’s a more versatile way to build and maintain a protected network.

How Do You Decide What’s Right for Your Fiber Project?

Both traditional conduit and microduct can support fiber installations. However, they each take different approaches.

Traditional systems often come with limitations: longer install times, less flexibility, and higher costs when it’s time to scale. Microduct systems like Atkore’s Micro-Path™ offer a modern alternative.

Micro-Path™ supports faster installs, easier network upgrades, and fewer disruptions over the life of the network. It’s also built to protect fiber in a wide range of environments. For teams working under tight budgets, schedules, or future growth plans, those advantages can have a real impact.

The right choice depends on your goals, but if you’re building with long-term performance and adaptability in mind, Micro-Path™ provides a strong foundation. It’s a smart way to build for what you need now without limiting what comes next.

To explore specs, configurations, and application details, visit the Micro-Path™ product page.