On Wednesday evening, multiple states encountered disruptions in their 911 call services, attributed to a light pole installation conducted by a third-party company, according to Lumen, the emergency call system service provider.
Lumen disclosed that the outages affected customers in Nevada, South Dakota, and Nebraska, emphasizing that the issue was unrelated to their services. They assured that services were fully restored within approximately two and a half hours, with technicians swiftly addressing the problem.
The Federal Communications Commission has initiated an investigation into the matter.
In Nevada, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department confirmed the restoration of service in the city by 9:15 p.m. PT, ensuring that all individuals who attempted to contact emergency services during the outage were subsequently assisted.
South Dakota experienced a statewide outage, lasting from around 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., as reported by the South Dakota Department of Public Safety. Despite the interruption, dispatch centers remained operational, capable of identifying and returning calls from affected individuals.
Sioux Falls Division Fire Chief Mike Gramlick highlighted the unprecedented duration and scope of the outage, commending Metro Communications for their adept handling of the situation.
Dundy County, Nebraska, and surrounding areas also encountered temporary outages, though both cellular and landline 911 services were eventually reinstated.
While several cities in Texas reported similar outages, Lumen clarified that they do not provide 911 service in the state, suggesting that these incidents were unrelated to the ones experienced in Nevada, South Dakota, and Nebraska.
