Buried cable less than 1 meter from power must be bonded to power neutral.

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When a buried telecom cable runs close to power conductors, there can be unwanted voltage coupling from the power lines onto the telecom path. Bonding the cable (typically its metallic shield or armor) to the power neutral within a short distance ensures the telecom path shares the same reference point as the power system. This keeps the potential of the telecom conductors near the neutral potential, reducing the risk of shock and minimizing voltage differences that could affect equipment or create stray currents.

Bonding to neutral is preferred because the neutral is part of the power system’s reference and is bonded to earth at the service equipment, providing a stable reference for any fault or leakage currents. Bonding to ground (earth) alone can introduce ground-loops and variable potentials due to stray currents on the earth path, which is less predictable in this scenario. Leaving the cable unbonded or uninsulated would leave it floating and more susceptible to hazardous voltage differences.

So the best practice is to bond to the power neutral to maintain a consistent, safe potential near nearby power conductors.