Charter Again Classifies Network Vandalism As ‘Domestic Terrorism’
Could broadband damage pose a national security threat?
WASHINGTON, July 16, 2025 – It used to be that if the cable TV screen went dark, it was the fault of a couple of neighborhood squirrels sharpening their teeth on the copper-clad wiring.
Today, cable broadband networks that provide Internet access to more Americans than anyone else have a new problem when service goes down. Charter Communications, the No. 2 broadband ISP in the U.S., isn’t blaming furry creatures. It’s pointing to a new cause: Domestic terrorism.
In a press release issued Monday, Charter reported a 200 percent year-over-year increase in felony attacks on its broadband network in Missouri. The trend reflects a growing issue across the industry, with Charter reporting nearly 6,000 attacks on critical communications infrastructure nationwide.
Last month, Charter reported an infrastructure attack in Van Nuys, Calif., where 13 cables–including more than 2,600 individual fibers– were destroyed. The damage significantly disrupted connectivity at a U.S. military base, emergency dispatch and 911 communication services, local fire and police departments, financial institutions, court buildings, healthcare facilities and hospitals, educational institutions, and cell towers providing mobile services.
“In total, more than 50,000 residential customers and more than 500 business customers were affected for up to 30 hours,” the release said.
Due to the extent of the damage, particularly to emergency services, Charter declared the act one of domestic terrorism–and said it must be punished accordingly.
“These criminal attacks on our country’s vital communications networks are intentional and cause outages that put lives at risk,” said Charter CEO Chris Winfrey. “This is a pervasive and persistent threat to American families and businesses across the country that cannot be tolerated, and such life-threatening events should be declared acts of domestic terrorism and prosecuted accordingly.
The Los Angeles Police Department, which has not made an arrest, declined to investigate the Van Nuys event as domestic terrorism.
After the California attacks, Charter offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest.
The attacks in Missouri this week sparked similar outrage from the cable company, dubbing the attacks “domestic terrorism” for the second time in less than a month.
“The impact is that of domestic terrorism, cutting off access to critical services, preventing vital communications during times of emergency and crisis, creating a pervasive and persistent threat to families and businesses in Missouri and across the country,” said Charter Executive Vice President Field Operations Tom Monaghan. “This criminal activity must not be allowed to continue. We need the continued support of law enforcement, an increased commitment to prosecuting the criminals behind these attacks and help from the public by reporting suspicious activity when they see it.”
Charter is again offering a $25,000 reward for any information on the Missouri attacks.
Growing increasingly frustrated, Charter is now urging Congress to take action. The company wants infrastructure destruction to be prosecuted as a felony nationwide–not left to the state laws.
“Stricter penalties are a necessary deterrent to this growing problem.”
When asked whether they agree with Charter's description of the crimes as "domestic terrorism," and why others are not using the same term, NCTA – The Internet & Television Association, AT&T, USTelecom, Comcast, and ACA Connects did not respond.
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