Updated
Updated · NJ.com · Jul 5
Comcast Leaves 20,000 New Jersey Xfinity Users Offline as Storms Trigger Fiber Break
Updated
Updated · NJ.com · Jul 5

Comcast Leaves 20,000 New Jersey Xfinity Users Offline as Storms Trigger Fiber Break

3 articles · Updated · NJ.com · Jul 5

Summary

  • Nearly 20,000 Xfinity cable and internet customers across multiple New Jersey towns were still without service Sunday, with some outages stretching close to two days.
  • A fiber-optic cable break in Avenel — caused by storms that led to a pole fire — is blocking restoration, according to South River Mayor Peter Guindi.
  • Comcast crews are waiting for Public Service Electric & Gas to replace the damaged utility pole, because cable and phone companies can work only after electric repairs are finished.
  • Woodbridge and Perth Amboy showed the heaviest outages on Xfinity's map, while service disruptions were also reported in parts of Delaware and Pennsylvania.

Insights

When a single burnt pole cuts internet for 20,000 people, who is truly accountable for the multi-day repair delays?
As severe storms increase, are AI drones the only way to prevent widespread utility pole failures and massive internet outages?
Why isn't critical internet infrastructure like fiber-optic cable required to be buried underground to protect it from storm damage?