When conduits are placed above the frost line, ice formation can exert pressure on the fiber cable inside. One specific problem is how the fibers and connectors cope with sub-zero temperatures. In fact, standard interface connectors are simply not robust enough to. A fiber connector left exposed to rain, sun, and temperature swings is a ticking time bomb for your internet connection. We break down exactly why this happens, what will fail first, and how to fix it yourself or force your ISP to do it right. With improved quality, however, comes unanticipated maintenance problems. For years, installed fiber cables mysteriously failed for no apparent reason, often recovering to full speed later.