- Cable operators call for tougher laws against network vandalism and cable theft
- NCTA just launched its STRIKE initiative to combat the issue
- Panelists also stressed the need to improve technician training and ensure coax is not ‘a lost art’
SCTE TECH EXPO 25, WASHINGTON DC – Cable cuts have been a persistent thorn in the side for operators, and some believe tougher regulatory action is necessary to avoid damaged infrastructure.
Tom Monaghan, EVP of field operations at Charter, said the company has had cable cuts happen in broad daylight across major markets. The people responsible are often not prosecuted because not all states have laws against network vandalism.
“Today it’s a felony in 28 states. It has to be 50, no ifs, ands or buts,” he said Tuesday. Monaghan further argued states need to establish stricter rules around selling copper to scrap recycling centers, referencing a new Texas law as an example.
Comcast Chief Network Officer Elad Nafshi stressed network vandalism doesn’t just “happen here and there. It is something that is hitting us in scale.” He did note there are pockets of the footprint where cable cuts are more prevalent and it’s not an issue that only impacts aerial cabling.
He explained Comcast has had cases where vandals “are getting into our holes and our pedestals and cutting [the cables] in there. We had a couple cuts where they will pull the slack of cable out.” Slack refers to an excess length of cable that’s installed for future maintenance and repairs in mind.
Outages from cuts vary in length, Monaghan added. “Sometimes they cut one cable, sometimes they cut a lot of cables,” he explained
NCTA earlier this month launched the STRIKE Initiative, a coalition of industry execs that are looking to “coordinate action against criminal attacks on broadband infrastructure.” ISP members include Charter, Comcast, Cox, GCI and Mediacom.
On the technology side, operators like Comcast and Verizon have said they’re using AI-based tools to more quickly identify when and where cable cuts occur as well as prevent them from happening in the first place.
The workforce element
Panelists also emphasized the importance of a well-trained broadband workforce across different technologies, not just fiber and AI but coax, too.
Nafshi said it’s critical to “make sure that coax splicing is not something that is a lost art” and “create an even more diverse workforce” equipped to handle the challenges out in the field.
“Everyone’s looking at the sexy new object of fiber, which is really important on its own, but we all have a ton of infrastructure out there that’s coax,” said Monaghan. “I think making sure that we have our core competencies there, down to the frontline level, that’s what keeps us going long-term.”
SCTE CEO Maria Popo added the telecom industry needs to double down on providing more opportunities for technicians to obtain certifications while on the job, especially as AI becomes more integrated in operations.
“Everyone is trying to anticipate what the next skills are, especially with AI coming, and they also want to be recognized for those skills, because it’s how you progress through your career and that’s how you make more money,” she noted.