A communications outage has affected internet, cell service, and landline service for southern Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island as of Monday afternoon, December 18.
Per an update from Hyde County, the outage is due to a cut cable, and technicians were not able to immediately access the site on Monday due to flooding in the area. Repairs are expected to continue on Tuesday, December 19.
In the meantime, the Hatteras Island Community Emergency Response Team (HI CERT) has set up a mobile communications trailer outfitted with a Starlink satellite system in Hatteras Village at the Hatteras Fire Station.
For the bulk of 2023, the non-profit HI CERT has been working on a new initiative to provide communication stations at strategic points throughout the island for the public to use when phone and internet services are down.
The station set up in Hatteras Village on Monday is the first mobile station to be operational on Hatteras Island, and residents and visitors can drive up to the mobile trailer site for internet access.
“With the Brightspeed line cut and phone outages, HI CERT [has our] FREE Starlink Wi-Fi access set up at Hatteras Fire Station,” stated the organization in a Monday afternoon update. “Please come up to use it for internet and Wi-Fi calling.
“Big thanks to Hatteras Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jeremy Hicks for housing, and his assistance [in] launching the system.”
For more information on the new communications stations and HI CERT, click here.
Tyler Fields is your internet guru, delving into the latest trends, developments, and issues shaping the online world. With a focus on internet culture, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies, Tyler keeps readers informed about the dynamic landscape of the internet and its impact on our digital lives.
