Cable unearthing doesn't impact operators

jes

MyBroadband Alumnus
Joined
Nov 11, 2009
Messages
11,992
Reaction score
123
Cable unearthing doesn't impact operators

A bundle of telecommunications cables have been dug up in Randburg, causing headaches for Telkom technicians, but leaving cellular operators seemingly unaffected

ewLIf.jpg
 
If I was a cable jointer my heart would sink into my boots...
 
I'm trying to figure out who's the bigger idiot here, Jo'burg water for damaging the cables or Telkom for burying cables along a water main, I'm strongly leaning towards Telkom.
 
Why didn't Joburg Water's management first check the city's GIS system?

Can anyone explain to me why Joburg Water's management team didn't FIRST consult the city's geographical information system (GIS) BEFORE sending the digger into action?

Said GIS system supposedly contains ALL relevant cable/pipe/trench information.

:mad:
 
Before anyone can dig up any pavement or road they have to approach the municipality for permission and also obtain confirmation from the municipality that there are no other services in the relevant area.

The same applies to the municipality; before they dig they are meant to ask all the cable operators (Telkom, Neotel, MTN, Vodacom, DFA, etc.) if they have any cables in the relevant area.

I think McD is right, JW is going to cough up quite a bit of ratepayers monies to repair all those cables damaged.

I'm trying to figure out who's the bigger idiot here, Jo'burg water for damaging the cables or Telkom for burying cables along a water main, I'm strongly leaning towards Telkom.
 
Looking at the cables that have been dug up by JW, it's clear that not only Telkom's cables are involved e.g. the yellow/orange trunking/cables belong to Neotel.

I'm trying to figure out who's the bigger idiot here, Jo'burg water for damaging the cables or Telkom for burying cables along a water main, I'm strongly leaning towards Telkom.
 
As a Telkom client that has services out of order as a result of this fiasco, my heart is already in my boots. The gods alone know when the mess will be resolved. Sigh.
 
Shoddy workmanship

If I was a cable jointer my heart would sink into my boots...

Looking at the hi-res image

WHAT A MESS

IF this is the way fibre is being "laid" then we might as well give up ALL hope right now !

I am not a cable-guy -- but this tangle is an utter rats nest.

Sheathing is stuffed up and broken and the cables not even buried properly

WHERE is the QUALITY CONTROL ( Probably same place as the Land Bank Millions )

I am sure they do a better job in Zimbabwe

:(
 
@MW: It was much. much better until JW decided to dig them all up!!!

What you are seeing is the result of a mechanical trench digger operated by an idiot.
 
IF this is the way fibre is being "laid" then we might as well give up ALL hope right now !

Would you prefer we build underground utility 'tunnels' like they have in some of our big cities as build by the municipality or should every one laying cables build their own separate infrastructure? It would be nice an all but we don't live in an ideal world and it costs money. They make do with what's available and it's not any different around the world. Contrary to belief they do have standards & operational procedures on how to lay cables. It might look like a mess but it's really not.

Indiscriminate idiotic digging however is stupid. That digging crew must have spotted/hooked only a few cables at first but it looks like they said "WTF, rip it all up boys!"

Those cable jointer guys work in some atrocious conditions though, floods, gale force winds, lightning etc. I take my hat off to them.
 
Last edited:
This works both ways. When Telkom was installing a duct under a road for one of my complexes, I saw them install the "bullet" and start it running, then I left. When I got back 20 minutes later, everything was wet, the wekers had plastic bags over their gloves as they dragged the bullet back out the hole, and the whole street smelled of sh*t.

"Did you hit the sewer?"
"Noooo."

They then adjusted the bullet to the correct starting angle (by jumping on the electric cable that was in the way), and made a second attempt.

I'm waiting to see how long before that sewer blocks up, and council has to dig it up for repairs. Fifty bucks says they 'accidentally' rip out the Telkom duct when they do.

TIA
 
Now this explains why Cell C is not working in Randburg HSPA+ network has been down since last week!!!
 
I've been without a phone for 10 days because of all the cable-works going on around Boskruin. Last technician ETA was 10 March. Now I suppose I'm going to be bumped to the bottom of the queue while they sort out this fiasco.
 
I would have rather made the headline

Cable unearthing disrupts thousands of paying subscribers now stuck without service that they desperately need and pay dearly for in order to make a living.

instead of the heavily Spin Doctored : Cable unearthing doesn't impact operators

Who cares who was not affected.

Tell us about who were affected.
Tell us about the struggling small business who can not trade because their lines got dug up.
Tell us about the guy who can not email his month end statements out
because his ADSL line got dug up. (or 'unearthed' as you put it )

Ag NO MAN ! Spinning this is just wrong !

Give a list of people who were affected and apologise to each of them in person !

They explained that if the break was in the local loop (the last mile of copper cable from the Telkom exchange to the customer premises) they have to rely on faults being logged with their call centre, from which they can identify cable breaks.

The call centre will then be able to tell customers immediately upon calling whether they have been affected by a general outage such as that caused by a cable break.

However, according to Bell, when they logged their call with Telkom this morning they were around the 1000th complaint for the incident.

Have you ever logged a fault with Telkom from your cell-phone ?
How about the person responsible for this disaster refunds the above 1000's of people their cell phone costs to report this fault.
 
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X