razambon
join:2000-09-18
Laurel, MD
| [northeast] Fiber to House Line Replacement
Well, I just thought I'd share whats going on with my install. I got my line installed in May (about the middle of the month) and this was to my new house (older townhouse I just bought). So I asked when I called about where the fiber cable would go. I was told '12 inches underground or in a conduit, normally both.' and that digging with a shovel would be no problem - which is important since I am doing yardwork to the new house.
Well...that wasn't true. The contractor only buried the wire 4 inches down and no conduit. So when digging to setup a foundation for a shed, I hit the sucker with the shovel and nicked the outer sheath. It didn't break the cable or screw up my connection (I electrical taped it right up and reburied), but I wanted it fixed prior to laying the foundation down for the shed.
So I called last week and was told the contractor would contact me in 24 hours. If I hadn't heard from them in 48 hours, call back. So...in 2 days I called back. They had to call the contractor (verizon) and told me a contractor 'inspector' would call me within 24 hours. Ok, so they didnt. And it was the weekend by this point so I just called again today and was told the contractor has everything down and they dont know why they arent calling me.
They DID give me a contractor name though (the actual person covering it) and made sure everything is alright. I also told them that if it's not done by friday, there will be cement over the current wire and it's not my problem regarding them having to completely rerun it as no one will contact me regarding it.
So, in essence, the contractor screwed up and doesn't want to have to redo it at their own expense...so...we shall see. If anyone has any other advice let me know. I was going to ask to escalate it today, but it seems Verizon can't do anything aside from call the contractor and say "Uhm...please go out there." |
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TheOtherPete
join:2001-06-28
Boyds, MD
| said by razambon  : I was told '12 inches underground or in a conduit, normally both.' and that digging with a shovel would be no problem - which is important since I am doing yardwork to the new house. In my area the fiber is in conduit as it runs along the front of houses (easement) but the very last segment (from the last small in-ground green vault to my house) is not in conduit. I don't know how deep it is but I would be surprised if they put down 12 inches as well.
I understand that you were just going by what you were told but I thought I'd give you another data point. |
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jfoj
join:2005-05-06
Mclean, VA
| reply to razambon
The drops from the vault to the house that I have seen appear to only be about 6-8" under the top layer of soil without conduit. I have usually seen a short (12-16") conduit stub on the riser near the house to keep the weed whackers from beating the cable up.
Some of the contractors I have seen running the fiber use a modified spade to just cut a small slit in the ground (6-8" deep) and then just drop the raw fiber in the slit. Not sure this is what Verizon specs, but I have seen this a number of times!
jfoj |
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jgantert
join:2004-06-02
Columbia, MD
| reply to razambon
My installer said I will likely need to have my line replaced when the lawn service does their core aeration since they do not bury the cable very deep.
We'll see this fall! 
-John |
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danclan
join:2005-11-01
Midlothian, VA
 ·Verizon FIOS
| reply to razambon
Here in Virginia code is 8" underground. My fiber is NOT in conduit to my home and is barely 4" underground in some spots.
If you tear it up doing aeration its clearly not your fault.
I had Verizon try to charge me one time because the copper was torn up by aeration. I refused citing the code and the fact that core aeration doesnt require a Miss Utility call for a 2" deep plug....the dropped the issue after 1 call. |
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razambon
join:2000-09-18
Laurel, MD
| reply to razambon
Yeah, when I called the first verizon person I talked to was like 'Oh...yeah. Thats completely wrong. It needs to be much deeper and in conduit.'
I can't see a 2-4" deep dig (burying a plant) being pushed off onto me. Of course, no one's called me back STILL and nothings been done so I'm going to have to call again.
Fun fun fun.
Verizon seriously needs to get new contractors around here that will respond to problems. God forbid I actually cut the line. |
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cdru
Go Colts
Premium,MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN
| reply to razambon
Verizon isn't going to install your drop 8+ inches or in a conduit. The drop is direct bury which means it is meant NOT to be in a conduit. It's an armored cable but as the OP pointed out, a direct hit can still cause damage. It's much cheaper for Verizon to run the line several inches below the surface just by slitting your lawn the trying to run a conduit 12" below the surface. Even if it has to be replaced several times, it's still significantly cheaper then the initial labor costs.
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Quis custodiet custodes ipsos? |
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MrBroadband
Premium
join:2006-02-22
Oyster Bay, NY
| Actually not only did Verizon run my cable underground, but they snaked it under my driveway and put it in a conduit. It is at least 8" underground, plus they added an extra line of fiber as I mentioned I will most likely get another ONT for either a static IP or 8 lines total. They had no problem with this. In fact, the guy said "Verizon wants us to put the cable in a conduit anyway."
If anything its the contractor cutting corners.
FYI, I am in Verizon - Nassau County, NY |
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cdru
Go Colts
Premium,MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN | Did they run the whole thing in conduit, from the pole (or box) to your house? Or just under the driveway? Also, when was your install relative to the nationwide start of the FiOS rollouts?
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Quis custodiet custodes ipsos? |
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razambon
join:2000-09-18
Laurel, MD
2 edits | reply to cdru
The cable actually isn't armored (if by armored you mean what I understand as armored - having a metal sheath around the entire cable on the exterior or inside the outer plastic). It's just a dual wire (copper and the fiber I believe) with a plastic sheath - it may be composite type cable but where I removed the covering I didn't see any metal armoring.
I've seen electrical lines buried in a yard - my father actually had it done once when I was a kid using one of those machines, which cdru mentions (sort of). He regularly aerates the lawn, etc., and has no problems. I believe the cable is 8"-12" under the ground as well, and the soil gets VERY rocky 5-6" deep there so...not sure why the heck it was so shallow. Four inches is just insanely shallow.
Either way, I can't get the people to come out to fix the damn thing....can't even get them to call me back. Kind of scary if we DO lose service. So far everyone I've talked to at Verizon has been pretty good with me though and said it should have been protected somehow.
I actually just got off the phone with them again they escalated it again, made mention that it was right under the sod (ok, so it was 1-2 inches under the sod...but the guy was trying to find ways to get them to call me or send out an inspector) and he changed it to say the line would need to be moved/reinstalled.
I'm pretty sure that when this patio gets installed it's going to end up causing the cable to break though...which makes me a bit nervous because there's now only about 1/2" of dirt on top of the cable where I nicked it and it needs to be at that height or LOWER. :/
And I think those machines can also lay a plastic conduit with the wire inside as well, a flexible PVC type tubing that would act as some type of protection. |
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cdru
Go Colts
Premium,MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN
| said by razambon :The cable actually isn't armored (if by armored you mean what I understand as armored - having a metal sheath around the entire cable on the exterior or inside the outer plastic). It's just a dual wire (copper and the fiber I believe) with a plastic sheath - it may be composite type cable but where I removed the covering I didn't see any metal armoring. The armoring may or may not ve visible. It can actually be within the outer jacket for enviromental protection. Here is an example of what a cross section mgiht look like.
In the coax world, a direct bury cable usually is significantly thicker and has a harder exterior that can help protect it from roots, shovels, rocks, animals, etc. Often it is also flooded with a silicone type sealant so that any cuts that might form don't leak water into the cable.
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Quis custodiet custodes ipsos? |
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MrBroadband
Premium
join:2006-02-22
Oyster Bay, NY
| reply to cdru
>>Did they run the whole thing in conduit, from the pole (or box) to your house? Or just under the driveway? Also, when was your install relative to the nationwide start of the FiOS rollouts?>>
Yup the whole thing. From the pole outside on my street, under my driveway, and even mounted both ONTs in my basement. I should add however, they used the EXISTING copper conduit from the original construction of the house. Still a huge snaking job.
AND THEY DIDNT CHARGE ME A DIME! (Took 2 visits)
This was 3 months ago |
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psu0
join:2006-05-31
Pittsburgh, PA
| Corning usually coats the fibre in a very very thin layer of kevlar, or a slightly thicker layer of PVC (sometimes both depending on the location of the lay), but that sucks if you hit it with a sharp object with a great force. It will usually keep the birds from chewing the wire aerially. |
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razambon
join:2000-09-18
Laurel, MD
| reply to razambon
Well, my back yard was all spray painted up so...hopefully they are moving the cable, etc. I really hope they do it at least semi right this time and I dont have issues.
Kind of sad that Verizon had to basically lie to get the contractor to come out. |
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madrhino
join:2004-07-03
·Verizon FIOS
 ·Comcast
| said by razambon :Kind of sad that Verizon had to basically lie to get the contractor to come out. The name verizon is derived from"veritas"-latin for truth.
Unfortunately the derivation process turned into a bastardization.
Lying seems to be a skill Verizons employess are well trained in.I really believe that the management is so evil and screwed up the employees are left clueless and angry leaving only the next contract negotiations to vent their anger. |
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razambon
join:2000-09-18
Laurel, MD
| reply to razambon
Well...seems the utility people came out and sprayed wednesday...and no one came and did anything after that. SO...the patio was installed and my shed setup today and yesterday.
Now it's up to them to run conduit under things, etc.
And I'll be damned if they are running it under the patio that took us hours to lay. |
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