Standard Installation: Fiber optic cables are generally buried at depths ranging from 3 to 4 feet (approximately 0. This depth helps protect the cable from damage caused by digging, animals, and environmental conditions like freezing and flooding. Where plant life, sidewalks, and other utilities already disrupt earth, it's safer to bury at as little as 24 inches or 60 cm, using protective conduits to limit the likelihood of damaged cables by inexperienced maintenance or gardeners.