Press release by Optimum Internet
Fiber Cut Near I-35 and Northwest Blvd Leaves Some Georgetown Homes Without Internet
Some Georgetown residents woke up this morning to find their internet service down after Optimum’s fiber-optic network was deliberately damaged near I-35 and Northwest Blvd. The company says the damage happened early this morning and crews are on site working to restore service. A police report has been filed.
Here’s the strange part: the cut appears to be tied to copper theft, even though Optimum’s fiber network doesn’t contain any copper. Fiber optic cable has no resale value once it’s been cut, which means whoever did this walked away with nothing but left a mess behind, exposed wires and unstable equipment that pose a real safety risk to anyone who comes across them.
Repairing the damage isn’t quick or simple. Each individual strand has to be spliced back together inside a protective enclosure, and a single splice can mean dozens of precise connections about the width of a human hair. That’s part of why restoration takes time even after crews arrive on scene.
Optimum issued the following statement: “We sincerely apologize to our customers who are experiencing an internet service disruption. Our teams responded immediately and are currently working to restore service after our network was deliberately damaged by criminal activity. We appreciate our customers’ patience and urge the community to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to local authorities.”
Beyond the inconvenience of lost internet, incidents like this can disrupt 911 emergency calling, which is why Optimum and local authorities are asking residents to keep an eye out. If you notice unmarked vehicles or individuals working near infrastructure who can’t provide official identification, or anyone who just seems out of place near utility equipment, it’s worth reporting to local authorities.
Residents can also report suspicious activity directly to Optimum, who will loop in their Security Operations team. That can be done through 24/7 chat support at Optimum.com or through the My Optimum app.
Optimum has not yet provided an estimated time for full service restoration.
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