Some AT&T customers in South Dallas are losing their phone and internet service for days because thieves are stealing copper wires.
One affected area is Green Hill Road in South Oak Cliff. Frustrated neighbors say these outages are a constant problem.
Reginald Terry, a resident, said he can watch TV now, but that hasn’t always been possible in the past few months.
“It would just go out,” Terry said. “We didn’t understand why.”
Terry told us that his AT&T internet has been going offline for days since the spring, and his neighbors have the same issue. Customer service reps blamed storms, even during calm weather.
Terry discovered the real problem when he talked to an AT&T technician working on the street.
“He said, ‘I’m going to tell you the truth, they’re stealing the copper off the wires,’” Terry said. “He said we can’t catch who’s doing it.”
An AT&T spokesperson told us, “We’re working as quickly as possible to restore phone and internet service to affected customers in South Dallas after a recent copper cable theft. Theft and vandalism disrupt essential services, and we’re working with local law enforcement to find those responsible.”
“It’s very upsetting,” Terry said.
Terry is worried that thieves are knocking out essential services in his neighborhood. His son has had to stop working from home since the outages began.
“Our alarm system, Wi-Fi, everything in the house depends on it,” said Terry. “When it goes down, you can’t watch TV, the alarm system doesn’t work, you can’t use the computer.”
For now, Terry and his neighbors are trying to adapt to the outages, sometimes listening to Texas Rangers games on the radio while waiting for the internet to return. They want the company and police to do more to find those responsible.
“We’re paying for a service we’re not receiving,” said Terry. “I know they can’t control thieves, but they’re the provider, and we want them to come up with a solution.”
We contacted Dallas police, who said they knew of copper theft cases and investigated them thoroughly. They encourage residents and businesses to report all suspicious activity and crimes to law enforcement.
Key Points
Service Outages Due to Theft: AT&T customers in South Dallas have lost phone and internet service for days because thieves stole copper wires from the network.
Customer Frustration: Residents, like Reginald Terry, are frustrated with frequent outages, which affect essential services like alarms, Wi-Fi, and working from home.
Call for Action: Residents want AT&T and the police to take more action to stop the thefts and find a solution to prevent these service disruptions.
FAQs
Q1. Why are AT&T customers in South Dallas losing phone and internet service?
AT&T customers in South Dallas are losing service because thieves steal copper wires from the network, causing significant disruptions to phone and internet services.
Q2. How long do the service outages last?
The outages can last for several days, causing major disruptions for customers who rely on AT&T's services for their daily activities and work.
Q3. What areas are affected by the service outages?
One of the affected neighborhoods is Green Hill Road in South Oak Cliff, South Dallas. Other nearby areas are also experiencing similar issues due to the copper wire thefts.
Q4. How did residents find out the real reason for the outages?
Residents learned the real reason when an AT&T technician informed them that thieves were stealing copper wires from the network, causing the outages.
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