The rapid construction of fibre optic networks has been damaging critical infrastructure across Finland, including district heating lines, electricity networks and telecommunications cables, according to experts.
In Kuopio, for instance, dozens of cases of damage to district heating pipes and electrical network cables have been reported at fibre optic construction sites during the summer and fall, said Kari Väänänen, Managing Director of Kuopion Sähköverkko.
”It's a matter of security of supply and public safety,” he said.
A drilling accident in Kuopio in mid-September cut power for over 2,000 customers and disrupted broadband and cable TV connections. In Kemi, street lights were out in several neighbourhoods due to a digging incident.
Throughout the summer, reports have highlighted the careless practices of fibre optic companies, which often dig up the same streets multiple times without coordinating their efforts.
Rise in telecom cable cuts
Yle asked major telecom operators if damage and fault reports related to fibre optic construction have increased and almost all operators report a sharp increase in cable damage incidents.
“The number of damages has grown as the work pace has intensified. We’re talking about hundreds of incidents annually,” said Niklas Granholm, Regional Director at Elisa.
“Damages wouldn’t happen if everyone followed the agreed-upon rules,” said Mikko Kannisto, Head of Broadband Operations at DNA.
According to Kannisto, some companies either don’t request or don’t wait for a cable location service. This service involves excavation companies requesting infrastructure providers to mark where underground cables are located.
The cable location service should be requested before excavation begins.
“However, we can’t reach every site on a day’s notice. Right now, fibre optic companies seem to be in a big rush,” said Väänänen from Kuopio Sähköverkkö.
Tukes: Installation can turn dangerous
The Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes) said it has been notified of hundreds of cases this year where the installation of fibre optic cables has led to hazardous situations.
In most cases, excavators have been digging dangerously close to gas pipelines or electrical cables, Tukes stated in a press release.
If a drill strikes a gas pipe, leaking gas always poses an explosion hazard. Striking an electrical cable can result in severe injury or even death, according to Tukes.
Damage to underground cables and pipelines also inevitably disrupts electricity or gas distribution and leads to huge repair costs for the excavator. Tukes emphasises that thorough planning, adherence to guidelines, and proper work supervision are key to preventing hazardous situations.
Responsibility lies with contractor
One of the major players in the field is Valokuitunen, which is building networks in around a hundred locations.
“Overall responsibility for construction contractually rests with the contractor, but ultimately, we bear responsibility for the project's completion,” said Kaj Storås, Head of Maintenance at Valokuitunen.
According to Storås, contractor activities are monitored through site inspections, and he is not aware of any instances of cable location requests being neglected.
“We’ve recognised that the pace in the industry can be too fast. To ensure quality and safety, we are increasing site monitoring and strengthening collaboration with municipalities.”
Storås cannot provide exact damage figures but acknowledges several dozen incidents nationwide. He noted a significant rise in damage reports for Valokuitunen's cables this year, as freshly installed lines are often cut due to multiple companies excavating in the same areas.
Traficom: Mere changes in the law won't help
Many municipalities are pushing for stricter legislation on fibre optic construction. However, Traficom's legal expert said he does not believe that the situation will improve simply by introducing new laws.
“Legislation alone cannot effectively prevent non-compliance with requests, directives, or guidance. Adequate means and resources are also needed to enforce the law,” said Ville Ikäheimonen, a lawyer at Traficom.
Traficom was scheduled to launch a location data service this month, designed to provide consolidated information about telecommunications, electricity, and water supply networks. The service aimed to help prevent excavation damage.
However, Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne (Finns) ordered the service's implementation to be halted due to security concerns about launching such a service.
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