Kitz Forum

Broadband Related => Telephony Wiring + Equipment => Topic started by: aesmith on April 09, 2016, 07:38:47 PM

Title: Telephone line exposed by ploughing
Post by: aesmith on April 09, 2016, 07:38:47 PM

I just noticed that 20 yards or so of our cable have been exposed when the field was ploughed.  It looks like they've gone one furrow closer to the track this year and it's turned over the soil previously covering the cable, leaving the cable lying in the bottom of the furrow.  It doesn't appear to be damaged, but if it's OK at the moment it's clearly not going to survive when cultivation is completed.   Who would I be best reporting this to, direct to Openreach or via my provider?   Also, what realistic expectations should I have?   It seems to me that that the cable should either be buried deep enough to avoid damage.   Really the whole length is quite vulnerable, some runs in a ditch, some just lies on the verge, and it's always getting cut, joints squashed or twice it's been burned.   

Title: Re: Telephone line exposed by ploughing
Post by: Starman on April 09, 2016, 07:49:11 PM

Best place I can think to report would be here - https://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/contactus/tellussomething/tellus.do (https://www.openreach.co.uk/orpg/home/contactus/tellussomething/tellus.do)

I don't know what the requirements are for ploughed fields with regards to telecoms but I know that with our electrical distribution cables they should be laid to at least 1M depth. I guess it really all depends on whatever the wayleave agreement is with regards to those cables and the landowner.

Blacksheep should have more of an idea with specific regards to telecoms cables.

Update - after some attempts to remember where I had read it before away from our own internal guidance. I found the NJUG guidelines (http://www.njug.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/V1-Positioning-Colour-Coding-Issue-8.pdf)

As per the attachment there is no guideline depth and it is per agreement with the landowner and telecom utility.

Title: Re: Telephone line exposed by ploughing
Post by: aesmith on April 10, 2016, 09:14:28 AM

Thanks for that, it gives me some ammunition. 

Title: Re: Telephone line exposed by ploughing
Post by: Black Sheep on April 10, 2016, 09:30:41 AM

We (Openreach) don't do the 'ploughing in' of cables ...... that job goes to our contractors.

Title: Re: Telephone line exposed by ploughing
Post by: aesmith on April 10, 2016, 10:11:19 AM

Quote from: Black Sheep on April 10, 2016, 09:30:41 AM

We (Openreach) don't do the 'ploughing in' of cables ...... that job goes to our contractors.

But it would be Openreach who'd be responsible for arranging it?   I think the issue with this section is that the ground wasn't ploughed before, so the cable that was previously untouched is now liable to be minced by normal cultivation. 

Title: Re: Telephone line exposed by ploughing
Post by: Starman on April 10, 2016, 10:14:47 AM

Quote from: aesmith on April 10, 2016, 10:11:19 AM

But it would be Openreach who'd be responsible for arranging it?

I guess what Black Sheep is saying is that the OR engineer isn't going to get a shovel out and start digging :D

Title: Re: Telephone line exposed by ploughing
Post by: aesmith on May 16, 2016, 09:21:07 AM

Finally got around to reporting this.  Although I gave all the details, the lazy gits have just raked some soil over the cable leaving it out of sight but only around 1" below the surface and still within the cultivated area.   The haven't fixed the damage either, just covered the cable up as-is.

Not sure how to approach this.  For the meantime I've left the cable on the surface so at least it can be seen, and wrapped the damaged areas in tape.