Many experience internet outages, WiFi issues after Houston storm

Houston – Last Thursday’s storm left many Houston residents without power as well as internet connectivity.

KPRC 2’s Joel Eisenbaum described the widespread power outage for KPRC 2, highlighting the significant impact it has had on people across the city.

Wi-Fi routers require power, so many internet issues can return once power is restored. However, if the power is restored and your internet is still down, it’s likely that your provider’s infrastructure is damaged.

If you’re affected, first check the outage map provided by your internet provider.

Comcast customers can access the outage map by entering their address, and similarly, AT&T customers can see ongoing issues using an outage map that can be searched by zip code.

Eisenbaum also suggested contacting your internet service provider to report the outage. Request a refund for the days of missed service.

Latest updates from Comcast and AT&T

Foti Kalergis, Comcast’s senior director of communications and public affairs for the Texas region, reported that about 90% of the internet outage has been restored so far, with 265,000 customers now back online.

“As of midday, about 35,000 customers were still without internet access, mainly due to lack of electricity in their homes,” he said.

As power is restored in hard-hit areas, Comcast’s systems will be able to alert those areas to where equipment or fiber optic lines are experiencing issues.

“When we see these alerts, our crews are sent out to resolve the issue. We currently have about 700 technicians on site dealing with any issues that arise,” Kalergis said. “They work around the clock.”

To illustrate the response, Kalergis shared a video of technicians dealing with problems in the aftermath of the storm. Technicians responded to alerts from the system indicating issues in areas where power had just been restored, identified and repaired damaged equipment, and restored internet service to neighborhoods within minutes.

reference: Question 2: Why are there inaccuracies on CenterPoint’s outage maps?

Eisenbaum also suggested affected customers contact their internet service providers to report the outage and request compensation for the days their service was down.

reference: Should Houston’s power grid be undergrounded after storm-related power outages?

KPRC 2 received the following statement: AT&T:

Our wireless network in Harris County is operating normally at this time. Some customers in affected areas may still be experiencing interruptions in their home phone or internet service due to storm damage or utility power outages. We have made great progress in our restoration efforts, and technicians will continue to work as quickly and safely as possible until all service is restored.

An AT&T spokesperson said the following about the Houston-area internet outage:

• Of wireline (home phone/internet) customers in Texas whose service was known to be affected, service has been restored to over 78%.

• Customers experiencing issues with their AT&T service can contact AT&T via att.com, the myAT&T app, or by calling 800-288-2020.
• Wireline customers can also sign up for a one-time service restoration text alert by visiting att.com/outages.