The Year of the Backhoe Continues...

Mon Dec 1 19:24:35 UTC 1997

>do people really think that the relative fiber cut rate is any higher than
>in the past?  there's a bit more fiber, hence the term 'relative'.  but i
>suspect that the predominant factor is that new victims have a better means
>of broadcasting their displeasure.

Your tax-dollar at work, I wrote the FCC and asked them this morning.  Here
is the reply a I got back (very impressive response time, less than 2 hours):

    "For the five consecutive quarters prior to the Third quarter of 1996,
    cable outages were higher than they have been since then. Nevertheless
    there continues to be s significant overall increase in the number of
    cable outages since the start of outage reporting in the third quarter
    of 1992.  Typically, about half of the cable outages are dig-ups. This
    information is is an informal estimate and its accuracy is not guaranteed
    or in any way certified by the FCC. The outage reports we receive are
    only available in hard copy. The FCC outage database is a rough internal
    working tool and not suitable for formal distribution, therfore it is
    not made public."

So I think that means the answer to Randy's question is no.
-- 
Sean Donelan, Data Research Associates, Inc, St. Louis, MO
  Affiliation given for identification not representation