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Who is Digging in My Yard?
Spectrum and AT&T are currently performing work in the Town of Davidson. This new infrastructure aims to provide residents with faster internet and additional services.
Construction work in your neighborhood should not disrupt your utility services. Contact your utility provider immediately if you notice disruption in service. Call 911 immediately if you believe there is a danger that threatens life or health.
What can I expect?
Public agencies and utility companies have the right to work in your front yard provided the work stays within the public right-of-way owned by the town. To see your parcel lines on a GIS map, visit https://polaris3g.mecklenburgcountync.gov/.
Parcel lines are often behind the actual roadway and sidewalks into what appears to be private property. In some cases, utility crews can work on your land to install fiber optic cables and upgrade other infrastructure in order to provide services to the surrounding area. This is called a utility easement and, if there is one, it is written on your deed and closing documents.
The town does not have a specific timeframe for any construction because the amount of time it will take varies greatly based on a variety of factors. The construction area typically will be restored within a few days after construction is complete. Contract workers will re-seed and cover areas with straw. Utilities companies are supposed to clean up any mess. Construction in your area does not mean that new or improved service will be available to you soon. It could be many months or years.
Who do I contact if I have a complaint or issue with digging on or near my property?
Contractor for AT&T fiber installation:
Ansco & Associates, LLC
Phone: 833-797-0604; GA, NC, SC - 877-245-6660
Email: customercare@anscollc.com
Help Center Website:https://sites.google.com/view/fiber-help-center
Contractor for Spectrum fiber installation:
Phone: 888-369-2408 or 704-378-2700
Please note this is an unmanned line that goes directly to a voice message. Please leave a detailed message with your name, address, inquiry/concern, and someone will contact you.
Town of Davidson:
If your concern pertains to the Town of Davidson or you have not received any acknowledgement from AT&T/Spectrum or their contractors , please contact Public Works Manager Jesse Bouk at jbouk@townofdavidson.org.
| FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT |
|---|
| The State of North Carolina, not the Town of Davidson, grants telecommunications companies their franchise agreements to do business in Davidson. They enforce the associated regulations according to provisions of the Federal Communications Commission. Register complaints with the State by contacting the NC Attorney General’s Office. |
Who is digging in my yard and in the street?
Both AT&T and Spectrum are currently performing work in Davidson. The work will be performed by contractors and sub-contractors. Although you will not see AT&T or Spectrum logos on the trucks, all contractor vehicles are required to be marked, and many of the personnel will be wearing identifying clothing, including hardhats or reflective vests.
When are they coming to my neighborhood?
Both AT&T and Spectrum should send out advance notification to let property owners know when crews will be in their neighborhood. This is typically done by leaving door-hangers. A good indication that work is imminent is the appearance of underground utility markings appearing on the pavement and ground in the form of dotted lines in spray paint or small plastic flagging. Different colors indicate the presence of different utilities.
Will I get a notification before they start digging?
Before beginning work, the contractor should leave a door hanger on the front door of each home in the area. The door hangers will provide basic information about the process and contact numbers. This normally occurs within two weeks of the beginning of construction.
Can the town tell me when they will be in my neighborhood?
We are not able to provide a long-range schedule to alert residents of impending construction.
Contractors apply for an Encroachment Permit from the town, which is reviewed and approved by Jesse Bouk, Public Works Manager. After the contractors receive their permit, it is up to them to schedule and complete the work – our permit does not bind them to a specific time or time frame.
How is the work being done?
Much of the work will be done by what is referred to as directional boring. Contractors use a machine that drills underground and the conduit is then run through the tunnel created by the bore drill. Typically, the contractor will dig a hole as an access point for the boring machine. After the conduit is installed, the contractor will either install a pedestal or vault. Normally, the pedestals or vaults will be spaced about 30 feet apart. The reason for using directional boring versus trenching are numerous; the following websites provide more information on directional boring:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directional_boring
http://www.directionalboringcentral.com/library/dba/dbapamphlet.htm
What happens if they damage my landscaping?
If there are problems with the work done by AT&T or Spectrum contractors, they have committed to restoring the area to as close to original condition as possible. This means seeding grass and/or replacing damaged shrubbery and trees. The key will be good communication and documentation. If you have a problem, please work with the contractor in question in order to resolve the issue first. If the contractor is unresponsive or you are not able to determine which contractor to contact, the Town of Davidson will provide additional assistance. Please give the contractor a reasonable amount of time to respond to your issue.
Contractor for AT&T fiber installation: 833-797-0604
Ansco & Associates, LLC
Phone: GA, NC, SC - 877-245-6660
Email: customercare@anscollc.com
Help Center Website: https://sites.google.com/view/fiber-help-center
Contractor for Spectrum fiber installation: 888-369-2408 or 704-378-2700
Please note this is an unmanned line that goes directly to a voice message.
Please leave a detailed message with your name, address, inquiry/concern, and someone will contact you.
If the contractor is unresponsive or cannot be determined, please contact jbouk@townofdavidson.org.
What happens if they damage other utility lines?
Please contact the utility that has been damaged first to provide them with the info on the location of the damage and which company’s contractor’s may have caused the damage. Other potential utilities that could be damaged include Duke Energy, Charlotte Water, Energy United, Dominion, etc.
Why can’t AT&T and Spectrum do their work at the same time?
The town is prohibited by State law to compel any utility or company to work with another company to construct their network.
There are painted lines all over the yard and street. What is that?
Prior to beginning work, the contractor notifies the utility coordinating authority by calling 811, using the 811 phone app, or on the web at nc811.org. The American Public Works Association guidelines dictate the color scheme:
Once a contractor calls 811 to start a locate ticket, the other utilities (gas, water, cable, etc.) will have three business days to locate their underground services and mark those with paint. Note – if you are a homeowner with irrigation pipes installed in the Right of Way, you can reduce problems by flagging the piping so that the contractor is aware they are in the ground (flagging material is available at local hardware stores – you can also use purple paint, but please do not use any other color). Also, the paint used to mark utilities should wear off within 6-8 weeks depending upon weather, traffic and other factors.
If the utilities are marked, how do water, gas, and other utility lines get cut?
The way the 811 system works, the contractor may begin work after three business days, regardless if all of the utilities are marked or not. Additionally, sometimes the boring head will hit an object, like a rock, and veer off course which can cause an accidental cut.