topic Overhead line about to fail? in Everything else

Overhead line about to fail?

bodgem — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 07:46:55 GMT

My phone and internet service enters my house via overhead cable. There are about a dozen connections from the pole at the end of my driveway, nearly all of them lead away from my house. Over the past year or so the pole has started to lean and my overhead wire is now now getting rather tight. Do I have to wait until it fails or is it possible to raise it as an issue? Openreach and two full-fibre companies use the pole: The lean has become significant since the optical-fibre companies appeared on the scene.

Re: Overhead line about to fail?

jab1 — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 07:58:40 GMT

Report it direct to Openreach - see: https://www.openreach.com/help-and-support/damage-health-and-safety

Re: Overhead line about to fail?

bodgem — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 10:22:15 GMT

Thanks, I have and will see what happens

Re: Overhead line about to fail?

mystreet1 — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 11:08:09 GMT

Someone will come and look at it. Mark it as dangerous to climb, mark it with a 'A1024' notice and wait for it to be replaced.

Re: Overhead line about to fail?

Champnet — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 11:57:17 GMT

@bodgem Be warned :

We had a similar problem when a car ran into the pole wihch was then marked for replacement. Along came a dismantling crew who disconected all cables and removed the pole. Two weeks later along came an installation crew who replaced the pole and reconnected the cable. During that two period all housholds normally connected to the pole had no internet access.....

Re: Overhead line about to fail?

jab1 — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 12:09:03 GMT

No surprise there - although my personal experience is slightly different and rather more encouraging. The main pole - at the chamber - and the auxiliary one which serves the six properties on our lane were both 'condemned' at the beginning of the year - not surprising, given their age.

About two months later, 'our' pole was replaced - the two guys had the replacement on their wagon, and apart from the fact we were given no prior warning, we were back up within a couple of hours. A few days later, the same team replaced the main pole, again with no warning, but again reasonably quickly.

Re: Overhead line about to fail?

Townman — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 12:09:06 GMT

That would be a massive automatic compensation bill ... unless they used the PTW get out of jail free card!

Re: Overhead line about to fail?

Baldrick1 — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 12:10:52 GMT

Moderator's note:
Thread moved from Broadband to Everything Else

Re: Overhead line about to fail?

pvmb — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 14:27:45 GMT

In the main road, off the road I live in, there is left one single telephone pole standing proud and alone (the 'Lonesome Pine'?). It bears the number "1", looks to be in excellent condition and nothing whatsoever is connected to it.

I use it as a 'bus stop' for the local Hail & Ride.