Cable Locating
A dedicated discipline for buried power, telecommunications, fibre, and control cabling, delivered to Telstra, Optus, BYDA, and CertLoc standards.
Cable locating focuses exclusively on buried cables, including power, telecommunications, fibre optics, and control wiring. Cables differ from pipes in every respect: they carry energy or data, they are almost always metallic or contain a metallic element, and a strike risks electrocution, arc flash, and widespread service outages rather than flooding.
The process uses a transmitter and receiver. The transmitter applies a radio frequency to the target cable, the receiver picks it up above ground, and the cable is then marked out on the surface with survey paint per the recommended colour code. Methods include passive power-frequency sweeps to find live mains, active direct-connect signal injection at pits and pillars, inductive clamping in congested corridors, and signal-select discrimination to separate the target cable from adjacent services in shared trenches. Every locate is delivered with utility-coloured surface marking, photo records, and a written report suitable for excavation permits.
Utility Types Located
- HV transmission and distribution cables
- Street lighting and traffic signal cables
- Optus HFC cabling
- Private data and fibre networks
- LV consumer mains and submains
- Telstra copper and coax
- NBN fibre
- Control and SCADA cabling
Available in Your Area
Local crews, local knowledge. See how this service is delivered in your region.
Safety Warning
Cable strikes cause fatal electrocution and arc flash, plus liability for telecommunications and data outages affecting thousands of customers. The hazards are electrical and contractual, distinct from pipe strikes, and require cable-specialist locating before any excavation.
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