Home Support Centre Wiring for broadband What is involved in cable installation?

What is involved in cable installation?

The green telecommunications pipe is laid when the builder/developer has the services trench open and can be laid by the builder or electrician.

If you find part of our network (pole, cable or cable terminal) needs to be moved/removed for the  development to proceed, please contact us on 0800 4 NETWORK (0800 463 896).

Things to remember:

  • The lead-in cable must be installed in a lead-in pipe - except in rural areas or down long driveways (>150m) where, depending on the distance of the house from the road, some of the lead-in may be direct buried. In rural areas or down long driveways the recommended ruggedised 1-way microduct cable is Hexatronic MPB901048/1 (Ruggedised 1 x 5/3.5mm with trace wire)
  • Each residence must have an individual lead-in from the network access point to the ETP.
  • The ETP must be a minimum of 300mm above the finished ground level but no more than 1500mm above ground.
  • Access to and terminating at a network terminal is Chorus' responsibility.
  • Telecommunications cables must leave buildings through their own conduit and this must not be shared with power cables.
  • A lead-in cable can share a trench with other services, but requirements for clearances must be met as shown below.

Plan view of a lead-in installation (urban)

  • Individual lead-in pipes to each living unit e.g. flat, house etc.
  • Lead-in pipes are to be kept as straight as practicable.
  • The ETP is the connection point for internal to external wiring.

Clearances 
If you're unsure about a type of power cable, contact your power or gas company or sewer and water pipes, contact your council.

  • Power: See the table below
  • Gas pipelines: (Pressures 420 – 2000 Kpa)
    • Crossings: 300mm minimum
    • Parallel: 450mm minimum
  • Sewer, Stormwater, Water etc: 150mm minimum
Power cable voltage Power cable type With mechanical protection installed Minimum seperation
Low voltage - exceeding 50V AC or 120V ripple free DC, but not exceeding 1000V AC or 1500V DC Natural screened or armoured No 150mm crossing 300mm parallel
    Yes 50mm
  Other than neutral screen or armoured No 450mm
    Yes 50mm crossing 450mm parallel
High voltage - any voltage exceeding 1000V AC or 15000V DC Single or multicore No 450mm
    Yes  150mm crossing 450mm parallel (2.4km max parallel length)