Part of the reason that fiber takes so long to repair is the fact that the glass strand often is
insulated with
Teflon(
tm). Whilst providing very good
electrical,
chemical and
mechanical insulation, this also lets the fiber slide inside the insulation. So when Mr.
Backhoe goes to work on the cable, the fiber might snap more than a mile away from the spot where Mr. Backhoe is.
This then requires the entire length of cable to be excavated and/or replaced, a time-consuming work done by ... that's right: Mr. Backhoe!
Mr. Backhoe is familiar with the concept of
job security.