New Underground Electric Service, Cable and Phone

Good point. I just look at the downed lines after a micro burst or a hurricane, and can't help but think a buried line would not have that problem. However; your point is well taken. If my line from the pole to my house, or the transmission lines were buried, you'd have a much more involved job to troubleshoot the lines.

 

I could see where moisture/water would be a problem.

 

Yes, if the cable has a little nick in it water will find its way.

 

I need to move my meter base. I'm going to try to go underground when I do, but if it is existing service they charge quite a bit to go underground, and won't let you do any of the work yourself other than set the meter base and run the schedule 80 below grade for the service entrance.

 

Well, its been a few days and the power is connected underground. I called monday, they were here on Wednesday.
Cable co. was here Thursday. Came early and got it done quick. Even put a new cable end on for my tv.

That brings us to the last service. Verizon residential.
*warning* rant
They suck. Their customer service sucks! Their automated answering service sucks! The local service dispatcher
sucks! My blood pressure is so high I'm about to pass out...
No call back after 3 business days, so I call them again. On hold, cut off, on hold again, no one knows anything about my call, on hold, customer service, technical service, on hold, confirmed appointment, cancelled appointment, no show yesterday, confirmed appointment again for today, 9am. NO SHOW again

 

Yea Verizon sucks at that kind of stuff. They think they are special. They are a pain to work with when we have to work with them. Than you can't even imagine how bad they gig up a pole, cable company is just as bad at this. Sometimes you just want to cut their chit down instead of climb over it. I like climbing but working in the city now I use a ladder to get above their crap. Rant over.

 

Finally, after a "call in" from a Verizon tech that happened to be looking for my neighbors place because she had lost her phone service, It's done!
I think he was the only reason things got done. He called the dispatch and told them my service had to be done today because they had not done it on the day they told me they'd be here.
I think his name was Andy, not sure. Thank you Andy!!! Good guy.
Tech Mark showed up and I helped him pull the wire in. He was here and done in about an hour. Really nice guy.
So the bottom line is, they have some good people! They are in the field !

 

A coupe months ago my business line started ringing busy 24/7. Customers couldn't get through. We average 40-60 calls per day so it is a big deal.
Long story short it took 2 weeks and a call to the attorney general for them to tell me that something with call forwarding was monkeywrenching the calls.

 

Drop Verizon. I have not had a land line for over 2 years now. I am building a new home in the country and they ran direct burial power from the pole at the road up next to my 500 foot driveway to a padmount transformer. From there it was another 50 feet in conduit to the house. I have not requested a phone install at all. If I want a wired phone I will go VOIP, not telephone line. No cable TV available where I am building so TV will be Dish again. Underground utility is pretty easy where I am. No gas, water, sewer, phone or cable makes avoiding utility damage pretty easy. Around the new house the only ISP is on a repeater system using a neighbor's silo top. I have an antenna mount on the front of the porch roof.

 

I have threatened to do that but the wife won't let it fly. "Emergency calls" she says.
We are in the mountains here. We live at 950 ft, the hill behind our house is 2800 ft.
Needless to say our wireless service is spotty at best. I have a cellular network extender that works great, but if the power OR cable goes, so does my internet and cell phone. I can only talk on the cell phone while standing looking out the back door without the extender.

This whole underground thing started because I'm putting a new roof on. All my wires were hanging from the edge of the roof. Just wanted them out of the way so I could add an overhang and finish the roof. And some day I will be jacking the house up to make a full basement.
Seemed simple at the time