On 6/2/2017 2:57 PM, J wrote:

Frank and Oren,

Regarding fiber optic cable: sadly, it ain't what you think...

We live in a rural locale in central NY. Population density along our road is low enough that there is no cable, no DSL, no nothin'. A small local internet company got some matching grants from NY state to bring point-to-point wireless to the hinterlands - but due to tree cover and topography, there was no way for any of the residents along our road to get signal. The only viable internet solutions for us had previously been via satellite or Verizon wireless, both of which were sub-optimal for various reasons.

The company that was bringing point-to-point wireless (6mpbs) to the area had put a tower up on the top of the hill (not line of sight for us, but not that far away). So, the residents of our road and the internet company worked out a cost-sharing deal where they would bring fiber down the road from their tower and connect our houses. So, after 16 years of living there (longer for others) we finally have a viable internet solution. Price and bandwidth comparable to the cable internet available in our area where you can get it (well as of a year or two ago, the cable companies have been boosting their bandwidth without actually raising rates) - which is to say, pricey and not that fast (compared to what is available in more densely populated areas). We now have the option of 20,50, or 100 mbps. But even the 20mpbs service costs us what a city dweller would pay for a much faster speed. The truth is that internet in our country is sucky if you're a rural resident. It's not particularly profitable for internet companies to bring service to low population density areas, and when they do, they are an effective monopoly in those areas giving them the ability to price-gouge.

So, this is not fantastic. But compared to the speed and cost of Verizon wireless it's a dramatic improvement.

As for the actual cabling, like my electric service, I own the wiring from the pole to my house, so it is not technically the internet company's problem. Sadly, they will be gouging me over the years, but the terms of the contract state that the cable from the road to the house is not their responsibility.

-J


On Friday, June 2, 2017 at 1:53:39 PM UTC-4, Frank wrote:

On 6/2/2017 1:19 PM, J wrote:

We just had a local internet company bring a fiber line to our house. While they said the line could be buried directly in the ground, I opted to dig a trench and lay 3/4" pvc electrical conduit for extra protection of the cable. It all went very smoothly. The cable goes into our house via an LB junction, and cable goes into the pipe (that is sticking straight up out of the ground) at the closest pole on our property (from which our electric service and phone are also suspended to the pole and then go underground to the house). I plan to use something like spray foam (something weatherproof) at the end of the pipe where the cable goes in to seal it from the elements. I don't want water getting in there, freezing in the winter and bursting the pipe.

What's the problem? Well, as I'm filling in the trench and tossing some of the larger rocks into the woods, one of the rocks slips a little (they're muddy from the recent rains) and wouldn't you know it, is a direct hit on the vertical section of conduit at the pole. I guess it's a good thing the conduit was there, or it would likely have severed the fiber. But now there is a lovely crack in the conduit, through which water could infiltrate. The crack is extensive, probably extending 270 degrees around the pipe - but only about 3 inches in length along the pipe

It would be a huge hassle to remove the cable and fix this properly, and really I just want to repair it to the point of being impervious to the elements, and I'm wondering what the simplest way to do this would be. This is not an electrical line, and I'm pretty sure there is no building code that needs to be met for this repair. And the conduit was not even necessary in the first place! But the crack is a no-go.

I was thinking of these possible solutions: 1) some kind of sealant like flex-seal, or heck, maybe just some silicone caulk 2) bonding a pvc sleeve (pipe of a larger diameter) over the cracked portion using pvc solvent - though the sleeve would have to be cut lengthwise to get around the cable. Another possibility I just thought of is 3) using nylon string to cut the pipe below the crack and simply seal the entrance to the pipe there. This may be the best solution - the only drawback is that it protects the wire (which technically does not need protection) to a slightly lower height. I just have to remember not to throw any heavy, muddy rocks at it in the future ;-)

I guess I'm looking for the "best" solution that optimizes cost/ease of repair/durability.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

-J



I'd probably leave the whole responsibility to the cable company but pvc
glued to pvc is best bet for maintaining seal.

I was surprised with the durability of optical cable. Installation in
neighborhood was a bloody mess. They even left it over a neighbors
driveway for a week or so and he was driving over it. I did not get it
as I have Comcast cable. It was good for maybe 25 years before they had
to bury a new one.

Verizon switched my old copper lines to fiber and what a screw up that
was. The cable layers buried the fiber to the wrong part of the house
and when the installers showed up, they had to call them back to rebury
it. It must only be 6 inches under meandering through the front lawn.
Fortunately I have no plans to plant anything there.

You'll get gouged for the cost of internet over the years, let the
supplier take responsibility.


Considering your circumstances that is probably the best thing to do.

We were stuck for years living on a hillside with poor TV reception,
before internet. Then Comcast or its predecessor came in and gave
service to those with above ground service in our neighborhood but would
not bury the cable to us newer houses with underground.

We were suffering the same too much distance between house issue. It
was our state representative that solved the problem by threatening the
cable company that the state might make it mandatory for them to give
those such as us the service. So they gave it to us.

Funny when FIOS came in we were among the first to get it. A friend in
a neighborhood similar to ours cannot get it because service is above
ground. Strange.

Competition is great. My neighbor across the street switches between
Comcast and Verizon every couple of years when initial offer runs out.
FIOS begs me to take their offer and I told them I would accept it if I
got it for life. Fat chance.

Only people like this get away with it. I compare it to buying a car at
an interest payment rate of so much for a couple of years than a higher
interest payment in the latter years but they will not tell you what it
is up front.