Need Phone In Remote Guest Cabin

[jillchurch]

I have a large guest house about 400 feet away from my main home and want to have a separate phone line for the guest house. The phone company won't run this distance without putting up telephone poles and wiring which I do not want (rural pristine setting). So I want to run the line myself from the main home (from a second line) to the guest house. My questions are: 1. what kind of wiring can I use to go 400 feet- and 2. does it need to run in conduit to be protected from the weather? I'm a total beginner when it comes to wiring so please respond as simply as possible.

[mdshunk]

Direct burial phone wire is called "flooded phone cable". You can't get this at a home improvement center, but you can get it at an electrical supply house. It looks a little bit like TV cable, since it is normally round and black in color. The "flooded" in the name is due to the fact that the inside is filled with a grease like stuff (sort of like vasoline) that keeps water out. The wires inside are regular phone wires. It is not a requirement that this be run in conduit, but it is a good idea if the budget permits. There is no minimum burial depth, but keep in mind things like lawn aireators and potential future planting bed locations when you decide how deep to bury.