Downed fiber lines make it impossible to make calls, send messages or use data on phones • Asheville Watchdog

Nearly 70 percent of Western North Carolina’s cell towers and equipment are out of service, leaving hundreds of thousands of people with limited or no cellphone signal, according to federal communications data.

Nearly all of the towers withstood the damaging winds of Hurricane Helene, but fiber optic lines The area was torn off primarily by falling trees, causing a widespread, catastrophic power outage.

While many people needing help were unable to reach 911, others with limited access flooded emergency lines. As of Monday afternoon, the county had received 616 calls to 911.

Emergency operators have placed 9,738 calls to 911 since the storm hit Sept. 26, according to Buncombe County records.

But thousands of people are still in the dark because the fiber optic lines needed to provide signals have been cut.

While a timeline for repairs remains unclear, cell phone and internet companies have begun rolling out mobile sites across the county where residents can get a signal if they stand nearby.

Accordingly Federal Communications Commission documents359, or 79 percent, of Buncombe’s cell sites, which contain electronic communications equipment such as towers, were down as of Sept. 29, disrupting cellphone communications in the area.

Other counties, including Henderson, Transylvania, Haywood, Madison, Yancey, McDowell and Rutherford, had areas of dysfunctional cells ranging from 41 percent to 88 percent.

According to one report, a total of 625 of the cell sites in these eight counties were out, or nearly 70 percent. Asheville Watchdog Analysis of data.

According to FCC documents, most of the cell sites are down “for transportation reasons,” meaning the signal from the towers cannot reach a switching center via fiber.

Thousands of people in Western North Carolina were cut off and unable to connect with friends and family.

Buncombe Register of Deeds Drew Reisinger said at a press conference Monday morning that his office had received 11,000 requests for help locating people who could not be reached. The office at 205 College Street in Asheville provides internet and information services to the public.

“Most people are unable to contact their families because cell phone coverage is poor at best,” Reisinger said.

Mobile cell sites installed in Buncombe

As of noon on Monday, cell phone providers have set up mobile sites in the county:

• A temporary Verizon cellular satellite trailer is available at: Family Justice Center at 35 Woodfin St.. This trailer allows limited cellular reception within a few city blocks.

• T-mobile has installed satellite cellular on light trucks in Asheville. These SatCOLTs provide cellular voice and data, as well as Wi-Fi and charging stations. The trucks are located at: Asheville Middle School, 211 S. French Broad Ave.And Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St.

Verizon plans to use a cell-enabled, tethered drone that provides ground-based cell phone service to aerial cell phone users, according to an announcement Monday.

More mobile sites are on the way.

‘Slow but steady progress’

Wireless providers Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and USCellular did not respond to questions Watchdog Information was given about repair work and what could be done to prevent damage to the lines, but general outages and restoration work were mentioned.

“We are aware of an issue affecting service for some customers,” Verizon spokesman Ilya Hemlin said in a statement Monday. “Our engineers are engaged and working quickly to identify and resolve the issue.”

Verizon releases detailed report on repair efforts live news bulletin.

“We are seeing slow but steady progress as additional cell sites go live again,” the company said in its Sept. 29 update. “Thanks to our close working relationships with the state Department of Transportation, the governor’s office and local emergency response leaders, and the opening of I-26 earlier today, we were able to move temporary assets to the Asheville area… We continue to work. “We are working with our main carrier suppliers on fiber restoration.”

An AT&T spokesperson said the company is “fully committed to assisting with response and recovery efforts following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.”

“While the recovery process will take a long time in some areas, we are prioritizing areas we can access immediately to restore connectivity as quickly as possible,” the spokesman said. “However, seriously damaged areas will require additional time to repair.”

Managed by T-Mobile Watchdog him live news bulletin He said his teams had worked under extremely challenging conditions and limited site access to restore 132 sites and position 149 portable generators in the last 24 hours, and the work would continue today.

A USCellular spokesperson said service was disrupted “due to a number of factors, including power outages, downed trees, and impassable roads preventing crews from reaching the towers.”

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Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing important stories for Asheville and Buncombe County. Andrew R. Jones is a Watchdog investigative reporter. Email [email protected]. Watchdog’s reporting is made possible by donations from the community. To show your support for this vital public service go to: avlwatchdog.org/support-our-publication/.

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