Recent releases
Oct. 14, 2008
Copper thieves in Jones, Okla., hit again. For the fourth time this year vandals have risked their lives to steal copper cables from TDS Telecom facilities causing phone and Internet outages for many people and businesses in the area. Outages were reported at Jones Middle School and from more than 150 residential homes served by TDS last night (Oct. 13, 2008). Local cellular service is also impacted as it too uses TDS lines to connect phone calls across the nation and locally.
TDS Technical Response team members immediately began work to replace the 300 line pair cable to restore services to the area and reported it restored at 12:15 p.m. today (Oct. 14, 2008).
Now, TDS is asking for your help in working with local authorities to report suspicious activity near utility poles, telephone cabinets, and other utility owned areas.
“This last instance was in the exact same location near the old iron bridge. These vandals wait for a rainy night with low visibility to steal the copper cables,” states Ron Bradshaw, market manager for TDS. “We need people to be aware and report any suspicious activity to the local authorities.”
The price of copper has made thefts of this nature increase nationwide. Stealing materials such as this 300 pair of copper cabling from TDS is a punishable federal offence and is also a life threatening activity due to the low levels of electrical current traveling through the equipment.
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TDS Telecommunications Corp. markets communications services to business and residential customers in 30 states through its brands TDS Telecom and TDS Metrocom. With nearly 1.2 million access line equivalents in service, TDS Telecommunications Corp. connects customers to phone, broadband, and digital television service in hundreds of rural, suburban, and small metropolitan communities. TDS Telecommunications Corp. employs approximately 2,700 people and is headquartered in Madison, Wis. Visit www.tdstelecom.com and www.tdsmetro.com for more information.
TDS Telecommunications Corp. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS Inc.) (NYSE: TDS, TDS.S). A Fortune 500® company, TDS Inc. operates primarily by providing wireless and local telecommunications service through its strategic business units, TDS Telecommunications Corp. and U.S. Cellular (NYSE: USM). Headquartered in Chicago, TDS Inc. employs approximately 11,800 people and serves approximately 7.3 million customers in 36 states. Visit www.teldta.com for more information.
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