Ribeirão Preto collects 21.5 tons of irregular cables in 2026; Find out who is responsible and how to report it

Inspection teams collected 21.5 tons of irregular, clandestine and abandoned telecommunications cables from public lighting poles in Ribeirão Preto (SP) between January and November 2026.

The action is part of a task force of the Ribeirão Preto Air Infrastructure Commission (Coinfarp), made up of the City Hall, the concessionaire CPFL Paulista and telephone and internet companies. The objective is to eliminate the risk of accidents with pedestrians and motorcyclists, in addition to combating urban visual pollution.

Last Thursday (5), cleaning and readjustment work was concentrated on Avenida Presidente Vargas, one of the main roads in the south of the city. In 2026 alone, technical inspections mapped 381 posts with illegal occupation and another 904 points with cables without mandatory identification of the operators.

In a note, CPFL Paulista informed that it complies with the sharing standards set by regulatory bodies and that it notifies operators to regularize the wires. Conexis Brasil Digital, an entity that represents the largest telecommunications operators, states that accredited companies continually invest in the maintenance and cleaning of leased networks.

Worker removes loose wiring from a pole in Ribeirão Preto (SP). — Photo: Serginho Oliveira/EPTV

CPFL Paulista's relationship consultant, Elidiane Bernardi, highlights that the priority of operations is the safety of the population on public roads.

"The real work here is focused on the issue of security. It's not just a question of aesthetics. Firstly, it's security, so that the cables are in accordance with the rules and regulations of Anatel and Aneel. Once they are secure, the aesthetic issue comes in and we do whatever we can reduce in terms of cable", says the consultant.

What are clandestine, irregular and dead cables?

The inspection divides the problems found on the poles into the following categories:

🔍 Occupation by default or clandestine: installation of cables carried out by companies without a signed contract with the concessionaire that owns the poles.

🔍 Irregular wiring: occurs when the operator has a usage contract with the distributor, but installed cables in unauthorized points or outside of technical standards.

🔍 Dead or abandoned cable: deactivated and unused wiring that was no longer removed by the operator, creating excess weight in the structure and risk of falling.

Who is responsible?

Responsibility for the structure of the poles is shared between different public and private agents, in accordance with federal and municipal rules:

CPFL Paulista: is the owner of the poles. The concessionaire is responsible for managing the rental of spaces, monitoring compliance with safety standards and notifying operators in the event of irregularities.

Telephone and internet companies: they own the cables. They pay rent to CPFL to use the infrastructure and are obliged to keep the wires aligned, identified with a plate containing their name and telephone number, in addition to removing deactivated cables.

Ribeirão Preto City Hall: coordinates the cleaning schedule through Coinfarp, monitors compliance with municipal legislation and forwards complaints made by residents to the concessionaire.

Inspections are carried out periodically by CPFL Paulista technicians. When irregular wiring is detected, the concessionaire issues a formal notification stipulating a deadline for the operator to adjust the wiring.

If the problem is not corrected within the deadline, the operator is subject to contractual sanctions, fines and forced removal of the cables.

In emergency situations, such as wires down on the track, energized cables or clandestine wiring without a contract, the distributor has legal authorization to cut immediately without prior notice, in order to avoid tragedies.

One of the challenges of cleaning operations is the clandestine wiring entangled with regular networks.

In October 2026, the emergency removal of irregular wiring in the City Ribeirão neighborhood caused the accidental interruption of the internet in offices and coworking spaces, paralyzing services throughout the day.

The technology director of the provider Alcans, Cláudio Placa, explains that the presence of clandestine companies on the poles makes visual identification difficult when cleaning.

"When non-regularized providers occupy the pole, they tangle the wires. When cleaning, the team pulls and ends up breaking regular cables together. Our teams work 24 hours a day and, when there is an accidental break during the distributor's service, we provide support to reestablish the signal in the shortest possible time", says the director.

Businessman Robinson Cardoso, whose administrative routine was paralyzed during the incident in the City Ribeirão neighborhood, demands more transparency in operations.

"Our operation depends 100% on the internet. There is a lack of clear communication between City Hall, CPFL and operators so that business owners and customers are notified in advance when there is maintenance, avoiding losses", highlights the businessman.

How can residents report loose or fallen wires?

If the resident identifies cables hanging, lying on the sidewalk or with a height below the permitted height above the street (minimum of 5 meters in height), the registration can be done directly through official channels:

Ribeirão Preto City Hall: by phone 156 or via the SAM app (Citizen Customer Service). The demand is registered and passed on to the inspection committee.

CPFL Paulista: by phone 0800 010 1010 (free call center).

Authorities warn that the population should never try to pull, cut or touch cables hanging from poles, as there is a risk that the telephone wiring may have come into contact with the high voltage electrical network.

Tangle of wiring pollutes the urban landscape and causes inconvenience to residents of Ribeirão Preto (SP). — Photo: Serginho Oliveira/EPTV