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Difficulty: HardWeakening Arguments

To reduce operational costs and improve network reliability, a telecommunications provider plans to replace all existing copper wire infrastructure in rural districts with fiber-optic cables over the next two years. Corporate executives argue that this upgrade will significantly boost net operating profits from rural service within three years, noting that fiber-optic infrastructure requires 70 percent less routine maintenance than copper and supports higher bandwidth subscriptions. Consequently, the executives conclude that the initial capital expenditure will be quickly offset by reduced maintenance expenses and increased subscription revenues.

Which of the following statements, if true, most seriously weakens the corporate executives' argument?

  1. A
    Subscribers in urban districts who upgraded from copper to fiber-optic cables reported a 90 percent reduction in service interruptions over a three-year period.
  2. B
    The telecommunications provider faces stiffer competition from satellite internet providers in suburban markets than it does in rural districts.
  3. In sparse rural districts, the primary cause of line outages is severe weather that damages above-ground utility poles, making physical repairs to fiber-optic cables five times more expensive per mile than repairs to copper lines.Answer
  4. D
    Many rural subscribers currently use mobile cellular data plans as their primary connection to the internet rather than landline broadband service.
  5. E
    The initial installation cost of fiber-optic cable per subscriber in densely populated urban areas has declined dramatically over the past decade.

Answer

The argument is most seriously weakened by the statement that in sparse rural districts, the primary cause of line outages is severe weather that damages utility poles, making physical repairs to fiber-optic cables five times more expensive per mile than repairs to copper lines.
The correct answer demonstrates that while routine maintenance might be lower for fiber-optic cables, emergency repair costs following weather-related damage in sparse rural districts are five times higher than for copper. Because severe weather is identified as the primary cause of outages, these substantially higher repair expenses could easily outweigh routine maintenance savings, directly undermining the executives' conclusion that initial capital expenditure will be quickly offset by maintenance savings.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the conclusion and supporting premises of the argument.
The executives conclude that upgrading rural copper infrastructure to fiber-optic cables will boost net operating profits within three years by offsetting capital expenditures through lower maintenance costs and higher subscription revenues.
Deconstructing the core argument reveals the central claim and its underlying financial assumptions.
2
Identify implicit assumptions and potential vulnerabilities in the reasoning.
The argument assumes that a 70 percent reduction in routine maintenance translates to a net reduction in total maintenance expenditures, ignoring potential non-routine repair costs specific to rural environments.
Weakening questions require finding evidence that disrupts the link between premises (routine savings) and conclusion (overall profit increase).
3
Evaluate options for a statement that directly undermines the expected net savings or revenue projections.
The option showing that severe weather repairs for fiber-optic lines in rural areas cost five times as much as copper repairs demonstrates that total maintenance costs may actually increase, directly undermining the financial rationale.
Substantial unexpected repair expenses erode the projected net profit margin, exposing a critical flaw in the executives' cost-offset projection.

Key Concept

Weakening Arguments via Alternative Financial Liabilities and Overlooked Costs
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Weakening Arguments

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