Repair of a severed optical cable: emergency service

How quickly can a repair be arranged

We provide emergency call-outs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with arrival typically within four hours of reporting. The actual duration of the entire repair then depends on how quickly the damage can be located and accessed, for well-documented routes it is often a matter of a few hours, whereas for unclear or poorly accessible locations the repair may take longer.

For businesses and internet providers where an outage directly impacts customers, emergency service is designed to restore at least temporary functionality of the route as quickly as possible, with final adjustments made afterwards: typically replacing temporary splice protection with a permanent connector, or completing the aesthetic arrangement of the cable at the intervention site.

What determines the repair duration

• localisation of the damage site , if the exact spot is unknown, the fault is located by OTDR measurement from both ends of the route
• site accessibility - excavated route, facade, protective casing at height or in confined spaces
• number of damaged fibres in the cable - for multi-fibre cables, each fibre is spliced individually
• weather conditions for outdoor work - mobile splicers also operate in the field, but strong wind or rain complicate the work

With multi-fibre cables, it may not always be possible to restore all fibres on the first visit. If route capacity allows, the technician will first restore critical connections and complete the remainder subsequently, avoiding unnecessary prolongation of the main service outage.

What to prepare before the technician arrives

• the most accurate description of the location and circumstances of the damage, where the outage occurred and whether excavation or construction work has taken place in the vicinity
• access to distribution boards or cassettes at both ends of the route
• route documentation, if available, site sketch or photographs from the implementation
• contact details for the person who will provide access to the building, manhole or technical room

The more precise information we receive when reporting a fault, the faster a technician will arrive with the appropriate equipment and length of replacement cable. For companies and internet providers, it is also worthwhile to have an emergency contact pre-arranged and basic route details prepared before any actual failure occurs, this saves valuable minutes once the outage is already active.

How the repair is carried out

1. localisation of the damaged point according to route documentation or by OTDR measurement from both ends
2. exposure or other access to the cable at the damage site
3. preparation of fibre ends and new splice, for multi-fibre cables a series of splices
4. Protection of the splice and its placement in a moisture- and mechanically-resistant splice closure.
5. OTDR verification that the route attenuation after repair matches the pre-fault condition.

The final point is particularly important for backbone routes and drop connections with a higher number of fibres: the repaired splice must meet the same parameters as the rest of the route, otherwise the damaged location could reappear in the future as a weak link in the entire network.

Prevention: how to reduce the risk of damage

• Lay the cable in a protective conduit, not directly in the ground.
• Clearly mark the route, warning foil above the cable and surface markers will alert other companies to the fibre optics during excavation work.
• maintain up-to-date route documentation so that fault localisation does not take longer than necessary
• leave cable reserve in the cassettes, which makes future repairs faster and eliminates the need to pull new sections.

Investment in protective casing and route marking during construction (see article on FTTH drop construction) proves its worth precisely when another company is digging nearby and your fibre remains undamaged. For clients operating multiple routes simultaneously, it also pays to have a unified overview of their routing and condition, this saves time during any future intervention, whether it is a routine inspection or an emergency where every hour counts.

Even with the best prevention, accidents cannot be completely avoided, construction work by third parties, rodents or unforeseen weather conditions are risks that cannot be entirely eliminated. The aim of prevention is therefore not to rule out accidents, but to shorten the time needed to locate and repair them, thereby minimising the impact on operations.