A Florida resident in Wellington says AT&T workers dug up and severed their fiber line while installing service for a neighbor. Rather than taking responsibility, the workers allegedly blamed the crew responsible for marking the line locations, then shifted blame to the provider, claiming the original line had been installed incorrectly. The resident was not alone in their frustration, as others on Reddit also criticized the installers’ apparent lack of accountability.
“[They were] basically doing anything they could to avoid taking responsibility,” wrote ViceCatsFan, who shared a photo of their severed fiber-optic cable on r/mildlyinfuriating. Fortunately, their provider quickly installed a temporary line, but the incident itself was frustrating enough to irritate plenty of Redditors.
“Absolutely diabolical that they just left it there like that. Who could miss that?” one commenter exclaimed. Another, referring to the AT&T installers, added, “They’re like the people who think that if you run out of the bathroom before the toilet overflows, it doesn’t count.”
Several people commented that they had experienced similar issues with their fiber lines. One person claimed Comcast had cut their AT&T line, recalling, “An AT&T technician fixed it the same day and said this happens very frequently.”
Florida Resident Claims AT&T Tried to Leave Without Acknowledging Its Mistake
As if having their internet suddenly cut off weren’t frustrating enough, ViceCatsFan claims the workers who severed the cable failed to notify anyone of their mistake. Instead, they were reportedly preparing to leave before being confronted.
On the other hand, someone claiming to work as a contractor said they aren’t even allowed to contact the ISP if they accidentally cut a cable. Instead, they’re reportedly told that it’s “none of your business” and that “whoever just lost their internet needs to call once they realize it’s out, and then we’ll come fix it for them.”
As one commenter described it, this practice amounts to “scummy” behavior. Yet, according to CNR Magazine, it has become somewhat common among contractors, particularly in the construction industry, where weak leadership and fragmented responsibility often undermine accountability.
