Cable dropped - fire hazard or just an annoyance?

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mdf

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#157093 19-Nov-2014 12:29

This is my Vodafone/TelstraClear HFC cable. It seems to have dropped somehow (uncoiled from the lampost?) and is now wrapped around the power cable. Windy day in Wellington (go figure) and when the wind unwraps it, it is hanging in the branches of the (neighbour's) tree.

This is obviously far from ideal and will require fixing at some stage. However, I couldn't take any more Opshop and so hung up on Vodafone's hold music.

But how much of a problem is this? If a fire is imminent I will have to endure the hold music for a while more, but if it can wait, so can I.

Importantly, speedtest.net has the usual stats so it doesn't appear to affect the internet.

Apologies for the poor picture

PeterReader

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#1179435 19-Nov-2014 12:29

Hello... Our robot found some keywords in your post, so here is an automated reply with some important things to note regarding broadband speeds.

If you are posting regarding DSL speeds please check that

- you have reset your modem and router

- your PC (or other PCs in your LAN) is not downloading large files when you are testing

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- you read this topic and follow the instructions there.

Make sure you provide information for other users to help you. If you have not already done it, please EDIT your post and add this now:

- Your ISP and plan

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- Your modem DSL stats (do not worry about posting Speedtest, we need sync rate, attenuation and noise margin)

- Your general location (or street)

- If you are rural or urban

- If you know your connection is to an exchange, cabinet or conklin

- If your connection is to a ULL or wholesale service

- If you have done an isolation test as per the link above

Most of the problems with speed are likely to be related to internal wiring issues. Read this discussion to find out more about this. Your ISP is not intentionally slowing you down today (unless you are on a managed plan). Also if this is the school holidays it's likely you will notice slower than usual speed due to more users online.

A master splitter is required for VDSL2 and in most cases will improve speeds on DSL connections. Regular disconnections can be a monitored alarm or a set top box trying to connect. If there's an alarm connected to your line even if you don't have an alarm contract it may still try to connect so it's worth checking.

I recommend you read these two blog posts:

- Is your premises phone wiring impacting your broadband performance? (very technical)

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NZCrusader

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#1179450 19-Nov-2014 12:31

Not a fire hazard, but a poor giraffe walking by might clothesline itself on it.

I would notify vodafone anyway just to let them know.

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nakedmolerat

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#1179452 19-Nov-2014 12:32

Call Fireman SAM!

xpd

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#1179458 19-Nov-2014 12:37

Contact Vodafone via their social media team, theyre good to deal with and generally reply within 24hrs.

onlinecare@vodafone.co.nz

XPD / Gavin

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mdf

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#1179460 19-Nov-2014 12:38

NZCrusader: Not a fire hazard, but a poor giraffe walking by might clothesline itself on it.

I would notify vodafone anyway just to let them know.

Forget the giraffe, it's down to about ostrich level (and yes, I did have to google to figure out an animal about 6'6"). I will notify them eventually, just not in a hold music frame of mind today.

mdf

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#1180159 20-Nov-2014 14:24

Thanks all. Will email Vodafone now. I just wanted to check I could get away with waiting or if immediate action was required. "But I sent Vodafone an email" won't cut it if Mrs MDF comes home to a smoking ruin.

Though on reflection "But geekzone told me it wasn't a fire hazard" probably wouldn't get me out of trouble in the case of smoking ruins either.

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kngjse

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#1180190 20-Nov-2014 15:42

Happened to us once after we disconnected from Vodafone. We called and they sent a technician out a few hours later to clean it up. No worries.

Paul1977

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#1180658 21-Nov-2014 11:24

kngjse: Happened to us once after we disconnected from Vodafone. We called and they sent a technician out a few hours later to clean it up. No worries.

Not my experience. Happened to me after we had disconnected and it was a nightmare getting it sorted. Probably a total of 3 hours on hold across multiple phone calls. My advice is to email them rather than suffer through the hold music.

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ArcticSilver

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#1180662 21-Nov-2014 11:36

My concern would be regarding the sheeting rating on the cables. A bit too much rubbing and you could get some exposed wire, though I think it is unlikely to happen. Making your HFC cable live would not be good!

dolsen

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#1180664 21-Nov-2014 11:38

Doesn't posting in the Vodafone forum on Geekzone constitute notifying them?

:-)