Videotron is talking openly about the problem of copper theft that continues to plague certain communications and other utilities.

Videotron official Isabelle Dessureault won't give a specific dollar amount for the cost of theft and vandalism by copper thieves, but she says it's many millions of dollars.

Dessureault says that's just for repairs to the telecommunications company's network as thieves cut and slash to get at wires of copper: the metal is currently fetching about three-dollars a pound.

Ironically, Videotron has no copper in its wiring. It's all fiber optics. But because the clear wiring is often so close to the copper cabling of other companies, like Hydro Quebec, Videotron comes in for considerable "colateral" damage.

Photo: copper-wire-manufacturer.blogspot