The former owner of a small internet service provider in South Texas is suing Comcast , accusing the telecommunication behemoth of advisedly — or by way of its own neglect — destroying his business sector and seizing his customer .
The lawsuitwas filedin the District Court of Harris County , Texas , by Anthony Luna , the proprietor of Telecom Cable LLC , a small business which had for eight years provided cable television service and net services to roughly 230 house in the Houston area .
On Thursday , Comcast forcefully denied the allegations , distinguish Gizmodo : “ We disagree with Telecom ’s claim and will smartly defend ourselves . ”
Luna ’s complaint alleges that , starting on June 15 , 2015 , Comcast — via its contractors , Aspen Utility Company , LLC and A&A Cable Contractors , Inc.—began to “ demolish ” his company ’s underground cables , kill off his business over a period of six weeks .
Luna order during that summer he take Comcast was blow up into Weston Lakes , one of the two field serviced by his now - defunct company . consort to his ill , acknowledge that Comcast ’s contractors would be position down cable alongside his own , Luna began check his undercover lines with orange key and “ buried cable flags . ” He also claim to have mailed Comcast a mapping of his telecommunication system .
Much of Luna ’s case rest on his adherence to the Texas Utilities Code and whether or not he did , in fact , the right way strike off his cables .
Michael Yanochik , a Houston lawyer representing Luna , tell Gizmodo on Wednesday that , plainly , his client ’s goal was not to be run out of concern . “ Why would he not mark his lines ? ” he said . “ He did follow the code . He did everything he require to do . ”
According to the complaint , Luna find a servicing outage soon after Comcast begin its mental synthesis . When he showed up to bushel one of his cables , he find it was severed by one of the Comcast gang . While attempting to reach Comcast about the payoff , three more parentage were edit out .
Yanochik say that during an encounter with a foreman at a Comcast building site , Luna was told the crew believe the orange markings were from give up lines . “ They did n’t have a skilful explanation , ” Yanochik state .
Luna ’s pleas to Comcast fall on deaf ears , he says . “ Within six weeks , the defendant demolish or damage the lines servicing every single Telecom customer in Weston Lakes and not one of those blood line was ever repaired by the suspect , ” the complaint say . By August 1 , Luna had no customers left ; many of them , he enounce , now receive their internet service from Comcast instead .
The suit alleges complete negligence on Comcast ’s part , impeach the telecommunication of dismiss its responsibility to work out reasonable care to avoid damage his business . Further , Luna alleges Comcast interpose with the contract between Luna and his client , and aided and abetted the declarer who lop his lines . in conclusion , Luna has accused Comcast of engaging in a “ civil conspiracy ” to transgress Texas law through the demolition of his property .
“ Mr. Luna had intended to operate Telecom until he reached retreat age . Instead , faced with the rapid decimation of his business , Mr. Luna and his syndicate were forced into a serial of hurried , life - changing decisions , ” the ill enjoin . Luna arrogate he had to take a job in another city and was n’t able-bodied to serve his remaining customers in the other county he service .
Moreover , Luna say that he was force to relocate his family , his wife , Michelle , and three school - eld nipper , to a new home in upstate New York . His wife was forced to free from a full - metre teaching position in Texas and take a fill-in teaching position at a fraction of her former pay .
ComcastTelecomsTexas
Daily Newsletter
Get the unspoiled technical school , science , and culture news show in your inbox daily .
News from the future , deliver to your present .
You May Also Like
