Over on Facebook, I posted a picture of a utility pole near our house.

The house across from the pole is undergoing renovations. Whoever disconnected the coax & Verizon cables did the usual and wrapped everything at ground level and just left it there.

My feeling is that whoever disconnected the drops should have coiled everything and secured them high up off the ground...maybe hang the coils on any stakes (I think there are some there).

Someone in the group is posting replies calling me whiny and how I should just walk up to the pole with cutters, chop away, and stop complaining. He even jabbed me for using the words "Ma Bell".

Now, I think that would be illegal, but, in a nutshell, what does the BSPs have to say about temporary drop removals?

I sent a PM to the group's Admin asking if the topic can be locked down as I don't feel like getting into a tit for tat with this person. I also said that if the topic has to be nuked that I would understand.

It's Facebook, what did you expect?

I'd say the chances are better than even that it was taken down by the contractor and not Ma Bell. The last place home remodel I worked on was done that way.

Even funnier, the guy is a sparky. Here is a sample of his "advice". I've removed his name except in one spot.


Thats telephone wiring that poses no hazard relax people you're not in any danger


Jesus christ have you all lost your minds? What are you worried about?


go cut it down then . If thats your biggest concern right now you lead a pretty charmed life . Get over it you live in greater Boston and things get old and fail. You probably drive over 10 to to 20 bridges every week thar are near collapse and far more unsightly than an old telephone cable that none of you people even use anymore .


Well there you go! Get yourself some tie wraps ,coil it up , secure it and no need for this foolish debate . Its not an electrical hazard


so are automobiles what is your point? Its not an electrical hazard . Call Verizon or Comcast im sure they'll fly right over and assuage all your fears


i am also an electrician for 30 years and its no big deal if it was it would be addressed by the power company . At most it carries 48 volts it might look ugly but is not going to kill anyone . If you're an electrician get your extentension ladder and solve this debate. Its not an electrial hazard anymore than a cat 3 telephone cable that is exposed and stapled to the baseboards in your home. Just relax with this nonsense

Rick Jenkins
Keith Chinal
would u have left it this way


no i wouldn't have because i am a professional and take great pride in my work. My point is while it's unsightly and probably an example of work that is not neat and workmanlike its still not dangerous and there is no reason to get anyone worried about electrocution


ma bell ? Jesus what are you living in a time warp ? It hasn't been bell systems for decades


Paul Andrew Chudigian
its whomever not whoever smarty pants

I dont have BSP in front of me, but would think there's no such thing as a temporary removal. You go out and remove it properly. You cant leave drops lose. They're not even supposed to be loose, they need to be tied down on a terminal.

If it was really temporary, no one is going to get around to clearing the infraction for 3 years after it gets reported, so you're probably fine, but there's no reason not to use a lay up stick and hang it off something near the terminal, like a pole step or span clamp

That fool clearly doesn't know what he's talking about, but sparkies tend to be that way. God's gift to anything wired in their minds.

There's really not much in the way of BSP information for drop wire storage, because as you imagine, it's either there for a purpose or it should be removed. Yes, there are means for insulating and storing (capping) unused drops for future use, but that assumes that they are physically attached at both ends. There are even wire storage closures for buried drops that are similar to very small pedestals. Those are designed to house about 50 feet of drop wire and are generally used in new construction areas.

Boy, wouldn't he be in for a surprise if he encountered ringing voltage, coin relay voltage or DS1 circuits that can get upward of 130 volts! He sure would be eating his words in no time.

Remember Communication Utilities are not requires to follow the NFPA 70 they live in their own world. It would be up to the utility company that owns pole OR the local jurisdiction that owns the device the cable is drape across.

Highest voltage I've seen is g.shdsl carriers when wired for power. Those go up to +-190 so 380v across the pair. And you could have like 8 or 20 or whatever of those in a cable easily.

Outside of taking a voltmeter to the cables, no possible way to tell if the drops are alive or not.

You could use the wet finger test.

A shocking idea!

I think people can see the picture using this link.

I could bring a knife & buttset to test the 2-pair Verizon drop.

the voltages you all are talking about are true, only if something else hasn't shorted itself across the open pairs.

I've seen some express power equipment and span power equipment that is used to line power DSLAM's or ONT's (eliminates the need for a UPS) that can put 190+ volts across the pair.

Negative. That is the operating power of these systems. It's to provide line power to repeaters and pots/dsl without remote power.