The Turf Wars Between Phone and Cable

An anonymous reader writes "The New York Time is carrying a story about squabbling between phone and cable companies, now that they're sharing the same 'turf.' While it may sound humorous, it's anything but for customers. Bad blood between the cable providers and the bells has resulted in shoddy work, slapdash repairs, rumours of sabotage, and (of course) higher costs." From the article: "In some cases, cable and phone companies accuse one another of ripping out equipment. In others, wires were reportedly left exposed and ungrounded. Elsewhere, Verizon asserts that dozens of times this year, Comcast and other cable providers ran their wires down phone company pipes instead of installing separate conduits. Verizon said that in one case it sent a letter to Comcast asking that the practice be stopped, but that the paperwork and repairs that followed not only cost hundreds of dollars, but delayed installations for its customers."

Comments

Re:Same old same old.

[Fred_A]

Competition is good. Competition without oversight and some rules to limit bad behaviour sucks.

What ? Are you some kind of pinko anti american pro-government euro-socialist ? ;)

The market will regulate itself whether it likes it or not ! Whether it benefits the populace doesn't have anything to do with it. Didn't you learn anything during endoctrinati^Wschool ?

Re:Stop letting the companies control the wires

[hclyff]

Sounds very nice. It has however "socialist idea" written all over it. And you aren't a filthy freedom-hating commie, are you?

Turf wars?

[ndogg]

Are cable and phone companies forming gangs or something?

East Coast Cable don't take no shit from West Coast Bell! Word up!

[News later that day...]

"Notorious B.E.L.L. was found with all their wires cut this morning as phone and cable gang wars heat up."