Why Isn't My Internet Back Yet? The Hidden Challenges of Network Restoration

Internet and power outages often linger after big storms pass through. But sometimes, those internet networks can take much longer to repair than usual. Over 974,000 homes and businesses experienced power outages after Hurricane Helene swept through rural mountain communities on Sept. 27. It was a hurricane that no one in the western Carolinas could have expected, a “one-in-1,000” year storm worsened by previous rainfall and rugged mountainous terrain. Neighborhoods in Mitchell and Yancey counties were left without internet for weeks following Helene’s devastation. Long after the hurricane had swept through the Southeast, 23,236 cable and wired internet customers were still reportedly out of service, according to the FCC’s last report on Helene recovery efforts from Oct. 19. Internet service providers are among the first on the ground after a natural disaster, alongside power companies, first responders and the Department of Transportation. So, where exactly does an internet provider ... Read full article.