# Forum Home Renovation Television, Computers & Phones  Phone cable going from one property to the other

## dino77

Hi there, 
I have been doing some renovation at my place and my neighbour (I live in a strata property) told me his phone line is not working anymore. 
I cut some phone cables in my roof space, but I thought they were just cables going to phone outlets in my house, I don't need anymore. 
Have you ever heard of phone cable going to one unit and then to the next one? 
Cheers,
Dino

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## PhilT2

Yes, it is done all the time.

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## Ozcar

Renovation of strata properties is fraught with complications. 
Strictly speaking you may not even be allowed to knock a nail into a wall to hang up a picture, because the wall may be "common property' rather than belonging to you. I could be wrong, but I would guess that "your roof space" is not really yours, at least not yours to do what you like to without asking for permission from the "owner's corporation" (or whatever it is called in your state).

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## Scotty1

Hi,
Reticulating telephone cables through a common roof space is the current method.
The alternative would require cable run in trenches accessing each unit via individual Pitts, this method is no longer used as it creates unnecessary outside joints that become exposed to the elements.
Although you have a strata title, in an standard strata agreement (refer to by laws available at any fair trading office) you can work in the free space, run telephone cables (by a licensed contractor) without an issue. 
For us Reno blokes, most licensed cablers are more than happy to drop off a bit of cat 5 (I use Cat 6A Shielded twisted pair, compliant to 10 gig) and let us do all the hard work of installing the cable, they will take a quick look at the run then terminate the cable and test, this will save you more than 5o%

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## Swerve

Typically phone cables will be a direct run to each strata unit from the MDF or IDF. Depending on routes it sounds like your neighbours cable runs through your roof and you have cut it. 
It would be rare to find a daisy chain type setup in strata units, in an old house yes, but not between different units. If you can rejoin the busted cable, Id say you will fix it. Depending what tools you have or people you know if you can get a F-set and trace the neigbours cable at both end you can confirm. 
I am a cabler by trade and did my first 10 years doing residental and small business cabling (Telstra) so good luck. 
Steve

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