The 911 call outages experienced by several states on Wednesday night were caused by a third-party company installing a light pole, according to Lumen, a communication services provider. This outage affected states such as Nevada, South Dakota, and Nebraska, but Lumen clarified that it was not related to their services. Texas also reported an outage, but Lumen does not provide 911 service in that state, with the Del Rio Police attributing the issue to a major cellular carrier.
Lumen’s Global Issues Director, Mark Molzen, stated in an interview with Forbes that technicians were able to restore all services within approximately two and a half hours after identifying the issue. The company apologized for any inconvenience caused to customers. This quick response helped mitigate the impact of the outage and ensure that emergency services were back up and running as soon as possible.
The outage in South Dakota, Nevada, and Nebraska affected emergency dispatch services, prompting officials to provide alternate ways for residents to contact emergency services. In South Dakota, residents in Rapid City or Pennington County were advised to use alternate methods to reach dispatch, while Las Vegas police in Nevada recommended using mobile devices for 911 calls. These services were restored in about two hours in both states, with Nebraska also experiencing service restoration the following morning.
There are growing concerns that 911 providers could become targets for intentional disruptions. The Department of Homeland Security has warned about ransomware attacks targeting police departments and 911 call centers, which could disrupt emergency services. These attacks could potentially lead to a manual operation of emergency services, putting dispatch services at risk and impacting response times during critical situations.
Lumen’s prompt response to the 911 call outage highlights the importance of having reliable communication services for emergency situations. As a provider of 911 services in multiple states, Lumen plays a crucial role in ensuring that residents have access to emergency dispatch services. The company’s quick restoration of services demonstrates their commitment to addressing issues promptly and minimizing disruptions for customers. Moving forward, it will be essential for communication service providers to remain vigilant against potential threats that could impact emergency services.
