Cable depth

Hi there, @scarefoot! We're glad to hear that the cables have been successfully located. 

We don't have any way of knowing how deep the cables are buried. 

Please feel free to reach back out if you need any help in the future. Thank you for contacting the AT&T Community Forums!

Lacey, AT&T Community Specialist 

Given the large number of reports in this forum about cut fiber, the depth is likely far more shallow than you'd think and nowhere near what the NEC requires. 

If you are lucky it will be 3" deep.  But it should per NEC be minimum of 6" deep.  I have some spots that is not buried at all.  

ANOTHER QUESTION: how far typically on either side of the painted marker line should one assume the line would run? If I was to dig 12" on either side of it, I "should" be ok?

Thanks for reaching back out to us @scarefoot.

We'll be unable to provide that information, but we'd suggest reaching out to our Buried Wire Center at 1-800-924-9420 Monday through Friday between 8am-6pm ET. They'll be able to provide more information regarding where you would be able to dig it.

Please reach back out if you have any further questions. Thanks for reaching out to the AT&T Community Forums.

Robert, AT&T Community Specialist

 But it should per NEC be minimum of 6" deep.

NEC code 830.47 States direct buried is a minimum of 18 inches, you're lucky to get a couple inches. 

AT&T “buried” our line and the thing isn’t even actually all below the surface of the dirt…it’s a dang joke. No wonder OEC cut it in half. Absolutely ridiculous…

My ATT fiber line is mostly lying on the surface and no more than 1 inch deep in my garden. Our gardener accidentally cut the line with a hoe; ATT wants to charge $99 for reconnecting. Shouldn't they restrain from charging customers to fix this issue if they KNOW that they are not meeting NEC codes for depths?

AT&T just buried new cable today. The last cable was broken by an aerator. Multiple places were not even an inch deep.

If you can't take the time to do it right, when will you have the time to do it over? I would think it would be a whole lot more cost effective for AT&T to make sure the contractors are following code than to pay them to go out and do multiple drops over.