Theft of Copper

[Scubbie]

Theft of Copper is disrupting Broadband Services across the country and is causing many areas to suffer.

It is an old problem that has become quite serious in the past few years. On many occasions Copper Cable has been stolen from the railways and various other sources.

BBC News - Railway cable theft up 70% as overall crime falls

Theft of the copper cable from the railways results in delayed trains across the country. Theft of telephone line cable places lives at direct risk.

BBC News - Coastguard emergency calls down after cables stolen

However I believe that the line was already crossed before it got to this stage:

Plates stolen from Wolverhampton war memorial | NewsToday

Metal war memorials stolen for scrap - Daily Finance UK

Thieves steal metal plates from war memorial - Liverpool Local News - News - Liverpool Echo

BBC News - Chorley cemetery gates locked after spate of thefts

Whether or not you personally believe that war is a good, bad or necessary thing, those people commemorated gave their lives so that you can express you opinion in safety. If you do know of anyone involved in this trade, then please don't keep quiet. Let the authorities know about it:

National campaign to reduce war memorial theft | News | Police Life

[mcphailan.]

By telephone line went down for a day on Monday - related ?

(PS BT fixed it without my talking to a single human; weird experience - recorded voice of "we are testing you line, please wait....we have found a fault" Most irritating bit is when they remind you can you do fault diagnosis on the internet - ermmm my line is down)

[Scubbie]

By telephone line went down for a day on Monday - related ?

(PS BT fixed it without my talking to a single human; weird experience - recorded voice of "we are testing you line, please wait....we have found a fault" Most irritating bit is when they remind you can you do fault diagnosis on the internet - ermmm my line is down)

It is possible, but then your area also has this FTTP trial currently. It is more likely that something related to do with the trial caused the problem.

What sparked me to post this thread was the theft in Portsmouth this week of the Copper or Bronze plaques in the main graveyard in Portsmouth. I've been unable to find the story on-line as yet, but when searching for it I found that it is not a new phenomenon.

There have been previous posts on this forum on the topic of stolen cables and it is a topic that is mentioned often in the news now.

It is also sad that BT seem to be replacing the good quality cables that were stolen, with cheaper & thinner copper cables. This has the effect of reducing broadband speed.

This problem is also not just an issue in the UK. It is happening across the globe.

Spanish police smash copper-theft gang - Telegraph

Texas man loses arms and legs in copper theft | khou.com Houston

Copper Theft Blamed For Lights Out Under Airport Viaduct - Honolulu News Story - KITV Honolulu

Copper theft | Telecom Asia

Copper theft increased in July: Sacci - Times LIVE

Copper theft: Delays, fires and collateral damage | Pol primett

'Stealing Like Magpies': Spike in Metal Theft Imperils German Railways - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International

In Copper Theft Central, even a metre of signalling cable is worth stealing | Business | The Guardian

They said it was putting a huge strain on them and their colleagues. "It gets to the point where you're dreading the next phone call," said Blythen, who did four 12-hour shifts in six days last week, although he was only rostered for eight-hour ones.

"I've got no life," he said. "I get home around 9.30 and I'm back at work early the next morning. They're asking us to stay behind, there is that much happening. It's really hard work.

"In the last three weeks, we've been getting dragged away from other jobs a lot to cover these faults.

"It used to be once every now and again, but recently there is just so much happening and there is not enough manpower," he added.

If the people who do these repairs are being pushed this much on a regular basis, then I would suggest that it is only time before the next big rail disaster due to poor maintenance.

[mcphailan.]

What's FTTP ?

[Scubbie]

What's FTTP ?

Fibre To The Premises

This type of connection uses a fibre optic cable all the way from the telephone exchange to your home for broadband.

Costs aside for the moment, I would suggest that this is the current way for the future of wired communications.

[mcphailan.]

So I is gonna get mega fast web, innit ?

[Scubbie]

Depends if Sky open up the connection or limit you to the 100Mb trial.

[dholdi]

I wasted almost a full day last week dealing with the theft of lead flashing from a school I am working on a project at.

One of my colleagues also wasted a similar amount of time dealing with the theft of lead statues from a local park.

At another project they managed to force their way into a boiler room and cut off some freshly installed cables that were coiled prior to termination.

Its not just the cost of the cable / lead, its the replacement / related damages / rework and the time having to deal with the Police / Insurance etc.

[SatDish]

Theft of copper is a big problem on the railway infrastructure lots of injuries/deaths happen each year that the media don't pick up on....
CONTAINS IMAGES THAT MAY BE DISTURBING FOR SOME.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRPOsm4PYr0]Network Rail Safety Video Electricity - YouTube[/ame]

[Scubbie]

If you follow that video link, you'll eventually come to one where a guy in India decided to play on top of a train with overhead live cables. Needless to say he didn't survive.

In Portsmouth the response has been to remove many of the plaques from many of the Memorials so that the thieves cannot remove them.

Neither solution is correct.

I am aware of the problems this is causing people. I can imagine that having spent a day redoing work that had only just been completed is not very enticing.

There's an old song by the Barron Knights entitled '[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPIU01s-R6k"]The Chapel Lead is Missing[/ame]'. Whilst the song is funny, it does remind you that this is not a new issue.