Narrative:

Lost all frequencys at the mgm rcag site; causing the inability to communicate with aircraft inbound to atlanta. Our area has had these type issues for over a yr; in this case it was because a contractor cut the line 3 times within a week. This is an excerpt from an e-mail that explains the situation. I just spoke with a tech from our field office in montgomery who has been on site at the location where the cuts are occurring. The cut apr/xa/07 was followed by a cut in essentially the same location on apr/xb/07. There was a cut last evening; apr/xe/07; at a location approximately 500 ft from the first 2 cuts. Our tech feels that at&T's efforts to move/protect the cable in the construction area were obviously not very effective. The cable remains in jeopardy as it is currently exposed (laying on the ground) for quite a distance and buried not very deep in other areas. The last cable cut was due to contractors cleaning out a construction drainage ditch which the cable (the temporary cable to move away from the construction) ran through. The cable was marked but was not buried very deep so equipment being used to clean out ditch due to impending rain cut the cable. This is happening entirely too much; at what point will the FAA start caring for their equipment the way they should? They can blame it on contractors all they want; but ultimately it is their responsibility to maintain the equipment and lines. Controllers are withholding clrncs that we should give because we are scared that the next time we key up the frequency won't be operational.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZTL CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING ONGOING FREQ FAILURES CITING SEVERAL EVENTS CAUSED BY CONSTRUCTION CREWS CUTTING CABLES.

Narrative: LOST ALL FREQS AT THE MGM RCAG SITE; CAUSING THE INABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH ACFT INBOUND TO ATLANTA. OUR AREA HAS HAD THESE TYPE ISSUES FOR OVER A YR; IN THIS CASE IT WAS BECAUSE A CONTRACTOR CUT THE LINE 3 TIMES WITHIN A WK. THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM AN E-MAIL THAT EXPLAINS THE SITUATION. I JUST SPOKE WITH A TECH FROM OUR FIELD OFFICE IN MONTGOMERY WHO HAS BEEN ON SITE AT THE LOCATION WHERE THE CUTS ARE OCCURRING. THE CUT APR/XA/07 WAS FOLLOWED BY A CUT IN ESSENTIALLY THE SAME LOCATION ON APR/XB/07. THERE WAS A CUT LAST EVENING; APR/XE/07; AT A LOCATION APPROX 500 FT FROM THE FIRST 2 CUTS. OUR TECH FEELS THAT AT&T'S EFFORTS TO MOVE/PROTECT THE CABLE IN THE CONSTRUCTION AREA WERE OBVIOUSLY NOT VERY EFFECTIVE. THE CABLE REMAINS IN JEOPARDY AS IT IS CURRENTLY EXPOSED (LAYING ON THE GND) FOR QUITE A DISTANCE AND BURIED NOT VERY DEEP IN OTHER AREAS. THE LAST CABLE CUT WAS DUE TO CONTRACTORS CLEANING OUT A CONSTRUCTION DRAINAGE DITCH WHICH THE CABLE (THE TEMPORARY CABLE TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE CONSTRUCTION) RAN THROUGH. THE CABLE WAS MARKED BUT WAS NOT BURIED VERY DEEP SO EQUIP BEING USED TO CLEAN OUT DITCH DUE TO IMPENDING RAIN CUT THE CABLE. THIS IS HAPPENING ENTIRELY TOO MUCH; AT WHAT POINT WILL THE FAA START CARING FOR THEIR EQUIP THE WAY THEY SHOULD? THEY CAN BLAME IT ON CONTRACTORS ALL THEY WANT; BUT ULTIMATELY IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN THE EQUIP AND LINES. CTLRS ARE WITHHOLDING CLRNCS THAT WE SHOULD GIVE BECAUSE WE ARE SCARED THAT THE NEXT TIME WE KEY UP THE FREQ WON'T BE OPERATIONAL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.