The lesson to be learned is simple. Call before you dig. The North Carolina One Call Center, www.ncocc.org can provide the information needed to prevent incidents like this. The burden then falls on the crew to pay attention to what they are doing.

Uh, it was a contractor working for DOT - not DOT personnel While NCDOT deserves a lot of the complaints they recieve, this headline is deceiving.

This seems to happen a lot to Embarq. Maybe because Embarq is considered an ugly step-sister in the phone and internet world. When they check for buried lines, they don't think about calling the ugly little step-sister to see where their few lines are located. I have provided Tech Support with customers of Embarq who are installing new DSL Internet/Email, and phone service. Its never a pleasing experience. Glad I don't live in one of their small territories and have other options.

When I saw the DOT owned this blunder I just had to laugh. I bet sometimes when these folks get up in the morning they wonder if they might be better off just climbing back into bed.

Ooops.

God bless.

Rev. RB