A splicer/sweeper used to have to balance a cascade 30 amps deep. Now anything over 5 is not allowed and the last node I cut over was the only active. Now verizon's building PON, and unless a tree falls on it, no one will ever have to climb that pole.
Its all headend and installation. The middle's been cut out. They can do a lot more with a lot fewer techs, cause a majority of the build-out in the profitable areas is complete. They'll continue pushing cable down streets, maybe split some nodes, but not like the old days. Ever again. But the trees will keep growing, get a maintence contract with the power company
This is CABL.com posting #162675. Tiny Link: cabl.co/mQtX