Verizon customers across Southern California experienced widespread disruptions to mobile and internet service after vandals cut multiple fiber lines, the carrier said in a statement. Verizon said repairs were underway and that service was restored by 7:30 p.m. PT on Sunday.
More than 12,000 users reported problems with Verizon during the outage, as tracked by Downdetector. Engineers and third party vendors worked at damaged sites to bring the network back online, Verizon added.
Verizon framed the incident as more than property crime. The company said acts of network theft and vandalism are dangerous because they can sever vital lifelines for first responders and public safety officials, according to its public statement.
Impact And Customer Reactions
Customers lined up at retail locations seeking answers while service was down, Eyewitness News reported. Some said they could not place calls and saw only SOS emergency satellite indicators on their phones during the outage.
Several customers spoke to Eyewitness News about disruptions to daily life and urgent needs. Jovan Jordan said the loss of service left him unable to reach anyone and criticized Verizon for high monthly charges. Hal Newman described his wife's dependence on the service and the difficulty reaching family members. Walter Brady said customers could not call Verizon to get updates while their service was down.
Verizon warned it would work to protect and reinforce the network in affected areas, and thanked customers for their patience, the company said. The carrier did not specify exactly where the cables were cut or how many customers were ultimately affected in its statement.
