Another question...

We have underground utilities in this neighborhood. The box on the side
of my house where the utility feed arrives has an approximately 1ft
section buried. There's actually a grade line marked on the side of the
box which I presume is a "do not exceed line. The service no doubt
enters through the bottom of this box.

I've dug carefully on one side of the box and so far haven't found a
ground rod. Before I continue digging I have a question about the
ground rod location.

Is it possible/typical that the contractor would put the ground rod
underneath the service entrance box in cases like these? If so it would
probably be pretty difficult to get to it.

Would driving another rod within a foot of the service panel be
adequate? (of course taking care not to penetrate the AC mains!)

I noticed the phone guy just put a hose clamp on the big metal
compression nut that has one side of the mains leading into the house
and put his ground under that. This is on the outside of the service
entrance box outside the house.

Would grounding through a similar compression bond to the box be a
reasonable alternative?

tnx
jtm