20,000 Georgetown residents without internet after cables were "targeted by criminals"

Key Points:

• Optimum customers in Georgetown experienced internet outages Monday morning after criminals deliberately damaged the company's fiber-optic network near I-35 and Northwest Boulevard overnight.
• The outage affected approximately 20,000 customers, including T-Mobile users, with damages estimated to exceed $100,000, according to Georgetown Police.
• Authorities are investigating the incident, reviewing surveillance footage to identify suspects, and have filed a police report; no further details have been released to protect the investigation.
• Optimum linked the attack to a wider trend of thieves targeting telecom infrastructure for copper theft, although the fiber-optic cables contain no copper and have no resale value once cut.
• The company urged the community to report suspicious activity near infrastructure, highlighted risks such as disruption to emergency services, and noted that restoration is ongoing with no immediate timeline provided.