INFRA ry would like to highlight Section 241 of the Electronic Communications Act Work endangering telecommunications cables (excerpt from the Act on Electronic Communications 7.11.2014/917).
Summary of the statement
INFRA ry would like to highlight Section 241 of the Electronic Communications Act Work endangering telecommunications cables (excerpt from the Act on Electronic Communications 7.11.2014/917).
"Before starting earthworks, forestry work, waterworks or other work that may endanger telecommunication cables, the person performing the work must find out whether there are telecommunication cables in the work area in order to avoid damage. The telecommunications company must provide information about the location of the cables free of charge. The telecommunications company must provide the person performing the work with the necessary information and instructions to avoid danger."
The law does not specify in more detail what the necessary information and instructions are to be given to the person performing the work, nor what response time and system this information should be provided to the person performing the work.
There are many network operators (telecommunications, energy companies, municipalities, water supply facilities...) and their methods of operation and the reported cable location accuracy differ significantly, so the law and operating model should be clarified to suit everyone.
Network operators' cable information is usually given to contractors doing excavation work on a map, on cable screens, or with some network operators both on the map and on the screen. From the point of view of the management of society's critical infrastructure, it would be important that the placement of cable networks be comprehensively made known to all parties who, for example, need information in construction work.
As ground cabling increases even more in the future, e.g. due to the construction needs of a weather-proof network, it would be necessary for telecommunications and energy companies, municipalities, water supply facilities and other network operators to be obliged to provide more detailed information and services about cables and infrastructure placed in the built environment, for example through a one-stop service.
INFRA ry proposes to clarify Section 241 of the Act on Electronic Communications so that the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency could issue more detailed regulations on information, instructions and the content and method of providing information.
The Ministry of Transport and Communications would oblige the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, in cooperation with network operators and contractors, to clarify these more detailed regulations to be issued, in order to reach a better situation than the current one with regard to cable location information and cable displays. The goal would be e.g. reducing cable damage, easier identification of obstacles and minimization of cable damage in construction work.