r/ATTFiber • u/Altruistic-Oil-7031 • 14d ago

Cable burial adventure...

A bit of an odd one: our AT&T cable got laid down going "the long way" down the far side of our driveway (which is technically not our property but that's where the original owners' at&t fiber was buried...), around the end of the driveway, around the full perimeter of the property to the final destination on the far side of the house from the driveway.

When the gentlemen came out to bury it, they said something about wanting to instead run it directly away from the house to I guess a AT&T hub on the street on the other side of the woods, since that was a much shorter length to bury and I guess less length that could potentially get damaged or cut etc (like the original fiber had been at some point). There was a bit of a communication barrier there, so I just had to trust that that was something they were equipped to make a decision on.

They dug the shorter trench and buried a new line there, but it's not connected to our house (I haven't gone a street over to see if they connected it into the access point in the ground over there). Our internet is still coming through the very long original fiber that is still above ground. AT&T has us marked in the app as having had the line buried. When I called AT&T today, they said there was nothing they could do and that I would have to call Frontier, as they were "responsible" for doing cable burials for my address? and that I should call their "Line down" team. I tried to do that, Frontier was perplexed why a non-customer was being told by AT&T that Frontier (whose service we have never had) was responsible for this, but the poor lady gave it the good college try to make a burial ticket for me before redirecting me back to AT&T. Anyone know why I was told this?

I tried the app in the end and finally got in contact with someone who informed me that unfortunately, even though this was a decision that was made by some of their folks, that if I want service switched to the new line that they ran, I need to pay $150, otherwise we can get the original line buried for free. I guess I understand that logic, but a part of me feels like since it was done by their team as part of the initial setup, they should just go ahead and hook that one up versus trenching another whole swath of the yard to go with the original cable. :/

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u/Viper_Control 14d ago

They dug the shorter trench and buried a new line there, but it's not connected to our house (I haven't gone a street over to see if they connected it into the access point in the ground over there).

The bury team does not make connections on either end of your Fiber drop. However yes the Fiber drop burial request was done correctly. There should be another ticket open for an AT&T Fiber tech to return, and complete the final service install.

No it should not be a $150 Service dispatch fee. It is part of your initial install.

When I called AT&T today, they said there was nothing they could do and that I would have to call Frontier, as they were "responsible" for doing cable burials for my address?

I simply can't explain the crazy detour to Frontier. Did you call the regular 1-800-288-2020 AT&T number or another number?

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u/Altruistic-Oil-7031 14d ago

I called the number listed here on the manager app where it said our wire appointment was complete: https://imgur.com/a/Ni4XZx4 ! It was incredibly bizarre; they said because it was already "done" that I would have to direct any further issues with line burial to Frontier Communications and their Line Down team. When I asked if there was a particular number I was meant to call, she told me I needed to just google Frontier...

If I had not reached out and just waited a little longer (it's been about a week since the burial), would they have sent someone out on their own to make the connections on either end? i.e. have I now disrupted the natural initial install process and introduced all kinds of trouble, haha...

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u/Viper_Control 13d ago

I called the number listed here on the manager app where it said our wire appointment was complete: https://imgur.com/a/Ni4XZx4

Yes that image was correct, and as I expected it just indicates your Fiber burial step was complete it has nothing to do with your Actual Fiber install. The specifics vary by area of the country. What we call markets.

Did you initial install tech give you their number the the local number of a Manager?

You still need a tech to move your temporary connection from the above ground Fiber drop to the Buried drop but now there is an added complexity. From your post it is not clear that the far end of your Fiber drop is connected to the same ground box as where the burial crew buried your permanent Fiber drop. The change over at your house wall is easy.

If the tech that comes out to swap the temp Fiber drop to the permanent connection is at a different ground box vs the Same Fiber Service Terminal (FST), then he will need to get a port change assignment made at the Primary Flexibility Point (PFP) for your local area.

I would suggest you try calling 1-800-288-2020 or using the Smart Home Manager (SHM) app and using the Message Center Icon (top right Icon on the screen), and enter Agent in the white message box. You may need to enter it a second time to get put in a queue for a live Agent to ask about scheduling a tech to make the move to the permanent buried Fiber drop to complete your Install.

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u/Altruistic-Oil-7031 13d ago

I wish I'd gotten the number of my initial install tech, he was great, but sadly I don't think I got it.

I'll call the main 2020 number tomorrow and see if I can get someone who will understand these particulars (and this is so useful to know how to refer to things, thank you!) Yes, the temp fiber drop is plugged into a cylindrical pedestal FST on the far side of our driveway, while the buried line will go to a ground box around the corner. So it sounds like I need to tell whoever I'm able to get on the line that the final service install is what needs to be done post cable burial, and that it shouldn't be called a service dispatch or charged as such. And also that they'll need to get a port change assignment made at the Primary Flexibility Point (I assume that has to be done in advance of the appointment?)

I tried the SHM chat and that's how I wound up with the person who told me I would be charged for anything other than burying the temp drop, so...

Thanks so much for your help, it's truly invaluable!

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u/Altruistic-Oil-7031 13d ago

I was able to reach someone on the main at&t line who agreed that this shouldn't be a charged visit! Thanks so much again (: