Rebuilding After Wilma

Three days after Wilma hit south FL, area cable systems still are having huge problems getting their networks up-and-running. Most of Adelphia’s FL infrastructure, for example, "experienced significant damage" and only 20% was functioning at press time. The MSO closed 7 walk-in offices in affected counties and kept crews working around the clock to restore service. Comcast finally was able to begin damage-assessment Wed, where it discovered a large amount of fiber damage, Comcast svp Filemon Lopez said via cellphone from the hard hit area. Comcast still is unable to estimate the full extent of the damages because of gas shortages, Lopez said. All of the MSOs FL employees have been accounted for, he said. Likewise, Time Warner Cable has accounted for all its employees, though its kept its offices in Naples, Labelle and Immokolee closed. "As much as half of our plant sustained some damage in Immokolee," said TW’s Mark Harrad. — Headend equipment distributor Advanced Media Technologies of Del Ray Beach, FL, contacted us via cell to assure us Hurricane Wilma hadn’t put it out of business. "We’ll be up and running Mon," an exec said.