Direct burial phone line or regular in a conduit?

[Daver1963]

As someone who has pulled miles of telephone cable and fiber optic cable I would make the following suggestions:
If you are going to use conduit or pvc one rule of thumb is to have no more than two 90 degree bends or total bends that equal more than 180. However, I would consider using innerduct as it comes with a pull rope already in it. The linked version is colored orange so if there is any future digging there's no confusion as to what it is.
Next determine how many pairs you want in that cable and then up it by 50%. Or put down more than one innerduct for future use. The reason being is that even if you pull in a pull string with your cable actually getting that pull string to work at a later date is probably not happening as it will twist and turn as it's going through whatever you use, whether it is conduit, pvc, or innerduct.
The other option if you want to upgrade later is to use the original wire as your "pull string." You just cut service long enough to pull the new wire and terminate.
I will presume that whether direct bury or conduit that you are using outdoor rated cable.

 

[WM75Guy]

Cat 5 is way overkill for just voice. If using for date (ethernet) you would need to use all 4 pairs.

Cat 5E is usually cheaper than Cat 3, even direct bury. You can run 10/100 and voice on one Cat 5E, the ethernet only uses 2 pair. One Gig uses all 4 pair.

 

[Coyote machine]

I ran 4 pieces of gray color conduit from house to barn in 2009. One for electric to supply the barn from the house panel. One to use for two radiant heat crosslinked poly to provide primary hot water overage from solar collectors and storage tank in house. Third brings one Cat5E and coax from house. Forth brings 2 Cat5E for fiber optic from house router/modem, one spare in case of a cable break, or similar.
Each piece of conduit is 2" or larger to accommodate multiple wire runs with less chance of snagging, etc.

In our area 3-4' deep is best because of deep frost.
Make sure to run marking tape in your trench to let future digging beware of what's below Put the tape within a foot of grade or so.

 

[Daver1963]

Cat 5E is usually cheaper than Cat 3, even direct bury. You can run 10/100 and voice on one Cat 5E, the ethernet only uses 2 pair. One Gig uses all 4 pair.

Cat 5E will run gig.

 

[truckdiagnostics]

I do believe 256 feet is real close to max distance without signal boosters for data. So, your not running power? Cost effective direct buried. 12-18 inches like other said. Then use point to point wiresles to go from house to barn. Or go with voice over IP use the point to point. Ubiquiti, don't quote me on the spelling, is cost effective and don't bury anything

 

[Fawken]

For Texas, 3/4" or 1" conduit (it's cheap) gel filled Cat5e (same price as Cat3) with a pull string. Be sure to install protectors at each end with a proper ground whatever you decide. The limit for a Cat 5e link is 330'. (100 meters)

 

[imported_OWDouglas]

I ran a phone line direct at my parents, from house to garage about 20 feet and 4 to 6 inches down when I was 15 years old. I am now 55 and the phone still works.

 

[kcflhrc]

Maybe some more information would help greatly. Is this cable from the street to your house or to extend service from the house to another building. Being a phone guy now for 35 years some of the previous posts are true and some are not. Your post doesn't really say what you are doing and why.

 

[Fawken]

Maybe some more information would help greatly. Is this cable from the street to your house or to extend service from the house to another building. Being a phone guy now for 35 years some of the previous posts are true and some are not. Your post doesn't really say what you are doing and why.

Only 35 years? I started in 1978. SW Bell, then AT&T, then fiber optics for Time Warner, back to AT&T microwave and fiber, now contracting VHF/UHF and data for DHS and FBI.

 

[kcflhrc]

Only 35 years? I started in 1978. SW Bell, then AT&T, then fiber optics for Time Warner, back to AT&T microwave and fiber, now contracting VHF/UHF and data for DHS and FBI.

Actually I was wrong, it was 36 years in June. SWB, then AT&T, then Sprint, then Embarq and now well, you see the pattern, right? Started right out of High School. Primarily PBX Installations for most of that time but a variety of other Telecom projects throughout the my career. Been a good gig, it pays the bills.