How Deep Are Telstra Cables?

When you’re planning the pipes and electrical systems of your new construction project, you might come across Telstra cables.

These can be confusing for a layman, but they are a major part of any project.  Failing to be aware of the depth of Telstra cables could mean you cause significant damage and find yourself in financial trouble.

Read on to find out more about Telstra cables, and what changes you might need to make to your project in order to keep them safe from any harm.

What Are Telstra Cables?

Telstra cables are data cables that have been laid down by Australia’s largest data carrier, Telstra.

Whether these are copper cables or fibre optics, they play a major role in the infrastructure of many towns and cities, transferring and processing terabytes of data on a daily basis.

Whenever you move house or change property, it can be important to get in touch with a company such as Telstra to make sure you can get connected to the internet as soon as possible, getting your home up and running quickly after your move-in date has been reached.

Where Can I Find Telstra Cables, And How Deep Are Telstra Cables?

As Telstra cables can, in theory, be connected to any home across Telstra’s operating area, they could be anywhere in the ground.

It’s significantly easier to find where Telstra’s copper cables are in areas that haven’t yet been upgraded to fiberoptic cables, as the metallic service carries a conductive signal that can be found using EM locating methods.
 
It can be far more difficult to find fiberoptic cables as they don’t have a metal construction, and it’s always advisable to contact Telstra if you want to be 100% certain you’re not interfering with their cables.

All of Telstra’s cables can be found at a depth between 300mm and 450mm, so once you reach these depths you need to take care with digging projects.

What happens if you hit a Telstra cable?

Drilling or cutting through telecommunications cables can cause serious issues not only for you and your project but potentially for those around you who are reliant on the same cables.

Those affected will lose access to phone lines and the internet until the problem is resolved, potentially stopping them from being able to work or be in contact with their loved ones in case of an emergency.
 
You may also find yourself on the receiving end of significant financial penalties as, depending on the extent of the damage caused, it can be extremely expensive to replace, repair, and test new cables that have been damaged.

Making sure you know where every cable is may feel like a chore, but it saves you time and money in the long run.

Use Reliable Experts

If you’re going forward with a construction or excavation project, get in touch with the Dowds Pipe & Cable team today.

We can find any Telstra cables that might be found on the site and mark them clearly, helping you to work around them once you engage in your work.

Call us 0434 635 134 or Contact us today to find out more about what we can do for you.