NOT getting “Network Protection” right greatly disrupts the everyday lives of New Zealanders.
It’s a Friday, Browns bay, near Auckland, a civil contractor needs to install a new water main to a green-fields subdivision. The weather has put things a little behind schedule.
The work requires a directional drill shot under the berm which will pull through a 100mm PVC water main so that the specialist plastic welding team can start work on Saturday morning.
The drill unfortunately takes out a 1000 pair copper and 48 fibre cable inside a duct.
The contractor did have network plans but didn’t take any of the other precautions that are now considered essential to protecting any underground utility.
That is to say, no cable locate and mark-out. Also the contractor didn’t pothole to actually eyeball the cable and hence would not have seen the older 1000 pair cable under the fibre duct.
Not only does the damage cause immediate outage to 550 Telephony and Broadband customers but also it disconnects medical alarm monitoring and the ability to make landline 111 calls, some as long as 48 Hours.
The small shopping centre just down the road has lost everything but most importantly for the retailers EFTPOS is gone and who carries cash these days..?
That’s OK there’s always Mobile service!