“The best we can do is size up the chances, calculate the risks involved, estimate our ability to deal with them, and then make our plans with confidence.” - Henry Ford (1863 AD - 1947 AD) “The beginning of wisdom is the definition of terms,” said Socrates nearly 2,500 years ago. Let’s take the word insurance as an example. Many people purchase insurance policies that deliver a premium that protects against a possible loss in personal, property and business settings. However, a broader definition of insurance can include safeguarding against negative outcomes.  Insurance is often seen as an overhead, a necessary cost of doing business. But what happens when an insurance claim cannot be made due to exceptional circumstances, or worse, is even denied? In such scenarios, having useful experience and a trusted business partner in your corner becomes critical.  A costly wakeup call A recent case occurred in Adtran’s backyard involving Northeast Louisiana Power Cooperative (NELPCO). Jeff Churchwell, GM of NELPCO, recounted how a motorist attempting to avoid an animal in the road lost control of their vehicle and plowed into a pole-mounted NELPCO midspan node. The accident caused over $100,000 worth of equipment damage and disrupted internet service to private residences and businesses in the surrounding area.   The following hardware was destroyed: Adtran Total Access 5000 (TA5000) Adtran SmaRT Series cabinet Pole mounting hardware Several DC rectifier cards Three Express connectors linking to another cabinet Fiber cable and existing wiring The driver of the vehicle was uninsured and lacked any real assets. Due to several factors, including potentially massive rate increases, NELPCO decided to absorb the costs of the accident and, as a gesture of goodwill to customers affected by the service interruption, provide each of them with two months of complimentary internet service.

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