ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Asheville businesses, residents and the Buncombe County government have reported that Wi-Fi and phone lines are down after a Spectrum outage hit the region this morning.
In a press release around 9 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 4, Buncombe County officials reported that government phone line and other services were unavailable because of the outage.
The county said that 911 remains fully operational, but that the public should only call or text 911 in case of an emergency.
“Repairs are currently underway and we are actively monitoring the situation. We will provide update when resolved. Thank you for your patience,” the county wrote.
Elsewhere, Asheville businesses have taken to social media to address the outage.
Chestnut, a restaurant located on Biltmore Avenue in downtown Asheville, asked for patience in a 10:14 a.m. Facebook post, reporting that phones and internet were down.
Novant Health Surgical Partners – Biltmore, located near Mission Hospital outside downtown Asheville, reported at 8:02 a.m. that phones and computers had been impacted at the surgery center.
We are currently experiencing a Spectrum service outage that is affecting our phone system and computers. Our office remains open, and we are continuing to care for our patients. We appreciate your patience and understanding as our staff works through these temporary service disruptions,” Novant wrote on Facebook.
In the meantime, local institutions like the West Asheville Library have offered their internet services to the public.
What was the cause of the Spectrum outage?
Spectrum said that the outage was caused by criminal vandalism to a utility pole on London Road in south Asheville. Up to $25,000 has been offered as a reward for information that leads to an arrest.