While doing yard work, I think I might have accidentally cut our telephone wire. The home phones are still working, and our Wi-Fi is intact since it's connected to our phone service. However, I'm not sure if this wire is live or what my next steps should be. Should I just leave it, especially if it's going to rain?
3 Answers
It sounds like the wire you cut might not be in service since your phone and internet are still working fine. A lot of old phone lines get buried near the surface, and sometimes they’re inactive. You could trace the wire from your modem to see where it connects outside. If everything's functional, you might be able to just leave it or safely cut it back if needed. Be cautious though!
Honestly, if nothing's broken in your home after cutting the wire, it’s probably not a problem. Just keep an eye out for any repairmen in the next few days, that's usually a sign you might’ve cut an active line. For future reference, always contact your local 'call before you dig' service to avoid this issue!
It might be worth getting some pictures of the wire you cut to help figure out what it is. If you can identify it as an old or inactive wire, you might not need to worry. Also, consider what kind of phone and internet service you have—if it’s VoIP or fiber, cutting a traditional phone line likely won't affect you.
Yeah, I had a similar situation where I cut some old coax cables from a previous internet provider, and the current provider didn't care since they were inactive too.