Verizon Reports Network Cuts, Claims 'Sabotage'

at a network facility box in New Jersey, cut phone services in Massachusetts for 16 hours, and cut fiber and copper cables in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York, it said. Verizon dispatched security teams to affected areas and is working with law enforcement, it said. It offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those involved. “We will find out who’s behind these highly dangerous criminal acts and we will pursue criminal charges,” said Michael Mason, Verizon chief security officer. “These reckless perpetrators are risking the lives of countless Americans by cutting access to key lines of communications, especially to local police, fire and rescue personnel. If someone has an emergency and needs to contact local authorities, these malicious actions could prevent that from happening.” Verizon said the incidents occurred while the company dealt with a union strike on the East Coast. CWA District 1 Vice President Dennis Trainor and CWA District 2-13 Vice President Edward Mooney responded to Verizon’s concerns about damage. "Regulators in three states are already investigating Verizon for its refusal to keep up with network maintenance and wear and tear -- the root of many ongoing service problems,” the union officials said in a joint statement. “Even with many technicians regularly working overtime hours, the demand is still too high for the current workers to cover. Additional delays that customers are experiencing because of the strike are a result of Verizon executives' insistence on offshoring and outsourcing jobs and their refusal to invest in adequately maintaining lines.”