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[Simon]

BT will coat its equipment in high-tech, traceable liquid to prevent the theft of copper cables.

BT has seen a 9% increase in stolen copper over the past year, costing the firm millions of pounds and cutting off broadband connections. A robbery in Kent in April saw criminals make off with 3km of cable, cutting off broadband to 2,000 people.

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/broadband/359761/bt-battles-broadband-cable-thieves

[Technical Ben]

I suggest coating it in hight-tech super glue. They won't get far then. 

[Rik]

That could be fun.

[Simon]

Thing is, would anyone who's just lost their connection, believe that someone had nicked the wire?! 

[Rik]

I'd check with the neighbours.

[DarkStar]

Thing is, would anyone who's just lost their connection, believe that someone had nicked the wire?! 

I lost my connection earlier this year, quickly found out the whole village had lost phone and internet. Although BT acknowledged there was a fault it took two days before they would confirm someone had stolen the cable and another three days to get us back on. There were (only  ) 1,500 homes in total affected but BT just behaved as though no one had a right to know what was going on, it was just our phones and internet and they really did not see what the problem was 
My village is 3 miles from the exchange and probably 2+ miles of that is in complete darkness with no busy road near it so no one is going to see them pinching it.

[Rik]

You need to start a patrol system, Ian.

[zappaDPJ]

The surprising thing about all this of course is that someone actually thinks there's some value to be had from BT copper 

[Niall]

Maybe they're smelting 2 pence pieces

[pctech]

Oh dear, with FTTC terminating at the street cabinet I expect we'll see more of this kind of thing.

[pctech]

Though even so called high security data centres can http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/security-management/2006/11/02/level-3-falls-victim-to-data-centre-robbery-39284520/fall victim

[Technical Ben]

Oh dear, with FTTC terminating at the street cabinet I expect we'll see more of this kind of thing.

Don't think there is much demand for optical fibre, so not to worry. It's the thieves trying to steam the copper that makes the problem.

[pctech]

The copper lines terminate in the street cabs Ben

[Bill]

It's the thieves trying to steam the copper that makes the problem.

I thought coppers preferred grilling...

[Rik]

[Technical Ben]

The copper lines terminate in the street cabs Ben

I thought that is what we already have? So with more fibre, there is less iron, and your diet is much more healthy. 

[Rik]

If a little windy. 

[Bill]

with more fibre

That would explain a lot of what finds its way into my mailboxes 

[Rik]

 

[Glenn]

This whole thread is a cop(per) out

[Rik]

[Glenn]

 

[esh]

Or just live in MK where it's all aluminium or something? I demand my phone lines made of multilayer Silicon Oxide/Nitride! That'll confuse them!

[Rik]