sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information telecom owned equipment?

I am interested to know why if you own a building and there is old equipment there you can not remove it? Or is that an urban myth of some sort? For example, we are renovating a building we purchased. There is an ATT cable coming into what is now the electric gear room. The network guys say it can not be removed. Another example-on the exterior of another building are 2 aluminum boxes with Lucent stamped on the covers. Looks like typical pots wires inside. Most of it is cut and a mess, but one wire goes to a NID. Nothing in either building uses pots wire. So whats the story on all this legacy equipment inside and attached to buildings?

Why not just call the phone company and ask them to have someone check to see if it's theirs? If not no problem, if it is and it doesn't affect any neighboring locations they may remove it for you. You're not to remove anything that doesn't belong to you.

Because many times service to other buildings is present in the terminals and cables. Cutting or removing them could cause other people to lose service. The proper procedure is to contact the telco an ask them to take care of it. Keep in mind that copper is not dead yet and you might need it for a fire system or elevator phones. So don't say it's legacy.

-Hal

I'm not a lawyer (I just look like one). Way back when, the owner of the building signed a right-of-way agreement with Bell Telephone. That ROW agreement allowed (and allows) the LEC to keep that cable where it is in perpetuity. The LEC has a ROW department whose engineers can enlighten you. I suggest that you speak to them.

Yes, you can remove certain equipment and certain equipment must be removed/relocated or left in place by the serving utility. Think of it like the power coming into your building. If there's a meter in the meter socket, you may not remove it, even though you think it's not serving your building.

The proper procedure is to call the local utility (Verizon, etc.) ask them to have a tech come out and identify their equipment, tag any working pairs and then talk with the tech regarding removing or moving any equipment, wiring, cans, etc.

If the utility gives the OK to remove, then you can proceed. Use common sense and regard everything on the walls, inside and out, as property of someone else until you are given the OK to remove it.

Rcaman

Thanks for the replies.
I am more interested in the reason why it isn't supposed to be messed with. For sure we have some pots for elevators. I still have pots at my home, I like the idea that it works, even if the power is out.
I reckon Arthurs comment about the ROW agreement is closest to what is going on with the old equipment. Probably related to the government deal made where they have to provide wire to everyone? I understand the old gear and wire is theirs, but I also know that they don't own the building.
We do call the telco and ask about some things, but our phone guy says they are slow to arrive.
For sure I am not saying I would just tear it out, more interested in the history of why it is untouchable.
BTW, a lot of what I see would make the ugly work thread here at this point. It has been worked, added to, and modified so many times that the stuff is just a mess.

Kinda answers your question right there. Those POTS lines most likely go through those terminals. Leave them alone!

Reason why:

It belongs to the utility not you.

The building may be yours, but the power feed, gas feed, phone feed, or any other supplier that feeds the building is not.

Moved a MICS today, was there a week ago when their XO circuit was dead and XO was telling the customer that it was alive.

Well it WAS alive up to the back of the building where some crew had cut 300 wires renovating.

Most anything can be removed if it has NO dial tone, NO battery and you know the end points. That said, if you can't determine that, don't put someone out of service.

I want to see the bill the landlord is going to get for that one!

-Hal