Cable-company coax - must it be buried?

[LarryFine]

I'm talking about the cable run from the pedestal to the house. It might also carry phone and internet.

1. Is there a rule that says a cable-TV company must not leave coax exposed and laid on the ground?

2. If it's a new or replacement cable, is there a time allotted for the cable installer/provider to comply?

3. Upon whom is it encumbent to get this accomplished? Can the cable company say call the installer?

 

[MF Dagger]

I'm sure if "somebody" just kept cutting all those wires off for scrap they would figure out to bury it pretty quick.

 

[chris kennedy]

Your a sharp guy. I'm sure you have reviewed 820.3 and 820.24. I don't see a reference to 300.5 there.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

The drop from the street to the building is under the control of the communications (cable) company and is not subject to the rules in the NEC.

 

[grich]

One of my radio station clients had a cable-internet RG-6 crossing a field from a pedestal to the radio station for 6 months. Must be a common practice...the RG-6 was yellow and cable-company branded. Only got mowed up once.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

They usually have there own standards and it will be covered.

 

[mdshunk]

I see the techs make "repairs" to underground sections that went bad by laying it on the ground on a fairly regular basis. The cable plowing and trenching seems to be done by a sub, so they just leave it on the ground until the sub can be scheduled in that neighborhood. Heck, I've seen the power company do the same thing a number of times too, but the time the cable is on the ground is very short... typically under a week.

 

[Buck Parrish]

I see the techs make "repairs" to underground sections that went bad by laying it on the ground on a fairly regular basis. The cable plowing and trenching seems to be done by a sub, so they just leave it on the ground until the sub can be scheduled in that neighborhood. Heck, I've seen the power company do the same thing a number of times too, but the time the cable is on the ground is very short... typically under a week.

Same here.
Does power actually go through it?

 

[JohnJ0906]

If this is CATV only, I don't see any requirement in 820 that would require it to be buried, except perhaps 820.24.... and I know how a lot of us feel about the "neat and workmanlike" requirement.

If this also carries phone and/or internet, than 830.47(C) would apply, IMO.

However, none of this might apply to the cable companies wires.

 

[iwire]

90.2(B)(4) says the NEC does not apply at all.