BT cables and treea

joedog

Hi. I have a large tree that overhangs the path/road . I came home recently to find that BT have relocated phone cables from a pole just past my property through the branches of my very tall tree. If they had given me notice I could have arranged for some branches to be cut back. I believe that I will now have to pay a lot more money for someone to cut back the tree whilst trying not to damage the cables .  Has anyone had this happen to them? Should BT have informed  me beforehand? 

Brie

Did you want to prune your tree?  Are you able to or is there a tree protection order on it?  

As things stand when the tree branches break and damage the cable then it's up to BT to sort it out instead of you.  

victor2

I saw Openreach running a new cable to a neighbour's house through a large (council maintained) tree and asked them what would happen if the tree branches damaged the cable. The reply was that they'll have to come back and plant another telegraph pole to go round the tree. Basically it was their job to run the cable and not think about how long it might last. 

EssexExile

I don't see it as a problem. If you had cut the tree back before they put up the cable it will just grow back around the cable. If the tree damages the cable that is Openreach's problem, the cable won't harm the tree. Any half decent tree surgeon should be able to work around the cable with no trouble.

molerat

My daughter has had FTTP installed.  The old copper came from the pole and through the tree in a straight line, probably installed when the tree was no more than a twig.  The new fibre comes from the pole, over a branch then down and under another branch on to the house so rubbing on 2 branches.  If those branches were removed you would likely be able to touch the cable from the ground ! If their is a problem it is down to the provider / Openreach to sort it, not her.