Direct-buried cable (DBC) is a kind of communications or transmissions electrical cable which is especially designed to be buried under the ground without any kind of extra covering, sheathing, or piping to protect it.
Most direct-buried cable is built to specific tolerances to heat, moisture, conductivity, and soil acidity. Unlike standard telecommunications and power cables, which have only a thin layer of insulation and a waterproof outer cover, DBC consists of multiple layers of heavy metallic-banded sheathing, reinforced by heavy rubber covers, shock absorbing gel, wrapped thread-fortified waterproof tape, and stiffened by a heavy metal core.