After acquiring Nextel a couple of years ago, Sprint had reassured its customers that they were committed to keeping the old network up and running through 2010. Of course, after realizing how decrepit that old network really is and dealing with the culture surrounding it, Sprint management probably wishes they had never made such a commitment.
But now, it appears that some copper thieves in Southern New Jersey are doing Sprint the favor of taking down the Nextel network for them, a bit early:
A representative from the Vineland Electric Utility told officers the subject or subjects cut a seal and pulled the [electric] meter out sometime between 12 a.m. and 11:56 a.m., cutting power to the site in order to remove the copper bars without threat of electrocution.
“They must have known what they were doing,” the representative reportedly told police.
The power loss temporarily knocked out Nextel wireless 911 communications until they could be repaired, police said.
According to a tower employee quoted in the police report, Nextel has had 61 other similar thefts since July at sites across southern and central New Jersey, as well as Delaware.
If I were to guess, it’s probably one or more disgruntled Nextel employees. heck the network’s falling apart anyway, why not help things along?