Call for Qwest to conduct a training stand-down
I'm seeing a disturbing pattern develop. Qwest contractors seem to be involved in an unusual number of cases of damaging other providers fiber. I understand that everyone makes mistakes, and a wide-variety of other equipment operators have caused many fiber cuts. But Qwest's name seems to show up with unusual frequency in the last year. Here are the ones I found in my notes. Milwaukee-to-Chicago May 4, 1999 Smyrna, GA March 11, 1999 Gurnee, IL November 19, 1998 (drilled fiber three times over a mile) Anyone have notes about others? I have a vague recollection of a couple of more, but couldn't find them in my notes. I don't know who Qwest is hiring to bury its fiber, but I would like to call on Qwest to conduct an immediate stand-down until it can review its fiber installation practices, training and supervision with its contractors. Including review of safe digging/drilling practices around other providers' fiber. -- Sean Donelan, Data Research Associates, Inc, St. Louis, MO Affiliation given for identification not representation
Unnamed Administration sources reported that Sean Donelan said:
I don't know who Qwest is hiring to bury its fiber, but I would like to call on Qwest to conduct an immediate stand-down until it can review its fiber installation practices, training and supervision with its contractors. Including review of safe digging/drilling practices around other providers' fiber.
The fact is, it is likely a dozen low-bid contractors. Or one contractor & a dozen subs. THAT likely is the issue. Further, if you read the Underground mag I mentioned in weeks past; it appears the rod-poking folks seem to be nailing EVERYONE: sewers, gas lines, water, you name it. But yes, Qwest should read 'em the riot act. It is far cheaper to avoid that 200*OC-192 bundle than fix it. -- A host is a host from coast to coast.................wb8foz@nrk.com & no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433 is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433
participants (2)
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David Lesher -
Sean Donelan