A telephone company places poles and strings wire across privately owned land. What is this an example of?

This scenario illustrating a telephone company placing poles and stringing wire across privately owned land is best categorized as an easement. When a utility company, like a telephone service provider, installs infrastructure on private property, they typically have a legal right to do so under an easement agreement. An easement allows one party to use a portion of another party's property for a specific purpose, in this case, access for utility installation and maintenance.

While an encumbrance generally refers to a burden on the property, such as a mortgage or lien, easements specifically grant rights to use the property in ways that facilitate services, like telecommunications, without transferring ownership. Therefore, the correct classification here emphasizes the type of legal arrangement that permits the telephone company to utilize the land for its operations while respecting the landowner’s ownership rights.