News Summary
A significant internet outage affected thousands in Beaufort County, with many residents and local businesses struggling to maintain connectivity. The damage was linked to a third-party incident, leading to widespread disruptions. While non-emergency and 911 services remained operational, local businesses and educational institutions reported challenges due to the lack of internet access. Sparklight confirmed the outage and worked on repairs, restoring services by late Monday night. The event highlights the community’s reliance on internet services for daily operations and communication.
Beaufort County, SC – A widespread internet outage impacted thousands of residents and businesses across Beaufort County on Monday, with many customers experiencing disruptions as late as 5 p.m. The outage, confirmed by Sgt. Danny Allen of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, left areas throughout the region without internet service, raising concerns for essential communication and operations.
At 12:45 p.m., Sparklight, the main internet service provider for the area, announced that fiber damage caused by a third-party was the source of the widespread issues. Despite the outage, non-emergency dispatch and 911 services continued to function normally, ensuring public safety remained unaffected.
The outage particularly impacted local businesses that depend heavily on internet connectivity for transactions and customer communication. Many of these businesses took to social media, urging customers to reach them via cell phones instead of their usual online platforms. Reports indicated that hundreds of Sparklight customers from communities including Beaufort, Lady’s Island, Okatie, Ridgeland, Estill, and parts of Hardeeville faced significant disruptions throughout the day.
The city of Beaufort also confirmed that all its facilities were without internet services as of 11:15 a.m., further underscoring the disruption’s widespread nature. As reported by Downdetector.com, outages spilled beyond Beaufort County, affecting other regions in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama.
Local outage reports experienced a peak around 1:45 p.m., with numerous residents reporting slow internet speeds or complete outages. In response to the ongoing issues, Sparklight posted an apology on Facebook, stating that technicians were actively working to resolve the situation. The company, formerly known as Hargray until its rebranding in August 2024, serves over 1 million customers across 24 states, with the Lowcountry region relying heavily on its services.
For education institutions in the area, particularly Beaufort County public schools, staff reported that the lack of internet affected teaching and administrative activities. However, public Wi-Fi networks at the University of South Carolina Beaufort and the Technical College of the Lowcountry remained operational, providing students with an alternative means of connectivity. Officials from both institutions confirmed that their campus networks were functional, allowing students to access necessary resources.
The significant outage follows a previous incident in September, where a similar 10-hour disruption was caused by multiple fiber cuts made by a third party. As of late Monday night, Sparklight announced on their social media that services had been restored following the completion of repairs to the damaged fiber infrastructure.
In summary, Monday’s internet outage in Beaufort County reveals the critical reliance on online connectivity for the functioning of both everyday life and local businesses. As the community recovers from this disruption, the event highlights the importance of reliable internet service and the impact that interruptions can have on all facets of life, from emergency services to education and commerce.
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- AOL News
- Wikipedia: Internet Outage
- Island Packet
- Google Search: Beaufort internet outage
- Your Island News
- Google Scholar: Beaufort internet disruption
- WJCL News
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Internet Connectivity
- MSN News
- Google News: Beaufort County internet issues
