Bad phone line


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Old 08-18-17, 09:20 AM
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Bad phone line

We have a land based phone/DSL internet line. About a month ago - after a heavy rain - the connectivity was lost. The telephone company came out and found that some of the wiring was bad and they strung up some temporary wiring until we had the chance to have a mason come out and put in a new in ground tube to run a new wire. Outside the house we have a nice stone walkway. Inside the house we have a nice Mexican tile floor. I have been hesitant to start tearing everything up.

I took some cabling and pushed it into the tube under the outside walkway and I think it went in far enough to get inside the house. I took the same cabling and pushed it down the tube inside the house and it did not go in very far at all. So I think the tubing under the Mexican tile is crushed.

I really don't want to tear up the flooring inside the house. Any ideas on how I can either run a new tube under the floor without tearing up the tiles ? Short of that - is there some way I can apply current(?) to the phone line and somehow trace its path ? Any other ideas are appreciated.
 
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Old 08-18-17, 09:50 AM
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Can you change to a fiber network? That way the floors don't have to be touched. DSL is just about outdated anyway.
 
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Old 08-18-17, 09:53 AM
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Thanks for your reply.

I said dsl - but it is really vdsl. We get 20 mbits - which is just about what the competing fiber company provides here.

But - we would still need to run the fiber cable underground.
 
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Old 08-18-17, 10:08 AM
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When I used to install sprinkler systems, there were times when we snaked piping under walks. Maybe what you have is too wide for that. The alternative is saw cutting. Maybe you've noticed when gas lines have to be installed under the street, they first cut two parallel lines so when they chop, it doesn't spider. The cuts may only be 1 or 2 feet apart. That makes the repair much easier.
 
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Old 08-18-17, 12:12 PM
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Did you try a snake cable down your conduit? Snake are stiffer and can get through.
 
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Old 08-18-17, 02:31 PM
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That is where my head is at - I almost need a snake (auger ?) which will follow the path of least resistance and cut away where it is needed. Something that will bore a 1/4" hole. Perhaps something that I could somehow attach to a drill.

Any ideas ?

I have tried a rather flexible 1/8" cable but it only gets so far.
 

Last edited by lhpdiver; 08-18-17 at 02:51 PM. Reason: My worst fear is that at some point some point they just laid the cable directly into the concrete (outside the tube).
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Old 08-18-17, 06:42 PM
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Best to try a regular steel electrical snake. The strength of the snake may push thru. If not.... you may need to go to plan "b".
 
 

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