Fibre cable across footpath.

Chorusnz:

As cyril7 has pointed out, the diagram getting bandied about is for developers. Wanting to install conduit, in preparation for the Chorus Fibre installer to come and haul microduct through. It needs to be at a minimum 450mm depth because these types of conduit are actually very week and susceptible to compression damage.

The purpose of shallow burying or surface mounting the cable is to:

A) keep it from getting bent at sharp angles which would damage the Fibre inside.

And

B) keep it out of the way so its not a trip hazard.

The point of burying is not to protect the cable from spades. That is the purpose of the microduct itself, which is very much stronger than people think. It takes a concerted effort to cut through. More so than the existing copper leadins which are usually just direct buried as well.

Remember we are offering a basic install for free. You are more than welcome to dig your own trench or pay someone else to do so, if you want the cable buried further than the 200mm we specify. Simply agree with the technician where you want the cable to run, have the trench dug, then book for the tech to return and lay the cable.

^Richard

Thanks Richard/@chorusnz.

It's not really the cutting through the cable that is the problem, it's the fact that the cable is laid so shallow that whenever anyone digs near it then it is likely to be pulled up and pulled off one end of the fibre connection. The landscaper I've had quote for doing this relatively simple work said they have already done this three or four times and then had to call chorus to fix it. At least some people still know where their fibre is installed. In 20 years people will have no idea where it is and start digging the cables up very regularly. In my case I can be pretty confident that we would dig the cables up within six months when we planted bulbs into our garden, if installed as done at my neighbours - it would basically be a physical impossibility not to pull it up. And at that point if chorus carries the cost of fixing it and can do it within a few hours that's fine. But they won't actually answer my questions about that.

There is a huge difference between this and copper (at least where I am), copper is at a depth where we (or landscapers) are not going to hit it (600mm If I recall correctly). I can guarantee chorus will be called out at some point my to neighbours (nearer to 100mm than 200mm) because someone is certain to dig the cable up at some point - it's too shallow. Possibly another revenue gatherer later, I don't know.

I would have no problems if Chorus said you can install and we will give you some sort of a rebate/discount etc... Or, do the job as I request and charge a small amount. I have no problems paying a bit extra to get it done properly. But the approach of the staff is we do it this way and only this way otherwise go away. Not customer focused at all. Now I'm the one covering ALL the digging costs. When the installer eventually comes if I even bother to get fibre at all (due to the awful experience having to deal with chorus. It's taken so long, my 12 month contract on spark has now expired and so now I'm moving to 2° and I get pushed back to the back of the queue so another few months wait), he's going to have to do nothing except connect connect the external and internal bits. Everything else including in house wiring I have to do myself to get it done to a reasonable standard.

...Stefan

Chorusnz

sm250