Internet Outage Disrupts San Antonio and Austin School Districts
San Antonio – A major internet outage has struck several school districts in San Antonio and Austin, creating some confusion and frustration for students, teachers, and parents alike. It seems that many schools have found themselves cut off from the digital world, impacting classes and communications.
The Texas Education Service Center, Region 20, which oversees numerous schools in Bexar County and nearby areas, recently announced that they are experiencing an interruption in their internet services and warned that phone service is also limited. Their official website states that, “This outage impacts Fiber 20 clients. Please excuse the inconvenience.”
So, what’s behind this disruption? The culprit appears to be Zayo, the internet service provider in question. Bree Woods, a senior corporate communications manager at Zayo, confirmed to local sources that they are aware of the situation affecting school districts in Region 20. “We have crews on-site and are working to restore service as soon as possible,” Woods stated. But when exactly will things get back to normal? Unfortunately, that remains unclear.
District-Wide Outages
The North East Independent School District (NEISD) confirmed that the outage is indeed district-wide. According to NEISD spokesperson, Aubrey Chancellor, a significant fiber line was cut, causing students and staff to suddenly lose access to the internet. “They haven’t given us a time frame for repairs,” she added, leaving everyone wondering when they could reconnect.
As for the Judson Independent School District, they kept the public in the loop via Facebook, letting families know about the connectivity issues schools are facing. Around 11:30 AM, the district put out a notice about their intermittent connectivity across campuses.
The Northside Independent School District (NISD) is also feeling the pinch from this outage. Barry Perez, a representative of NISD, mentioned that they’ve set up emergency phone lines accessible through the district’s website to help mitigate communication problems during the outages. Fortunately, he reported that there are no other disruptions besides the internet issues.
Other Affected Districts
Meanwhile, the Alamo Heights Independent School District reported that they lost their internet connection just before noon on Tuesday, but thankfully, their phone systems remained operational. Julie Ann Matonis, the district’s communications director, highlighted that this would allow them to continue some level of communication with parents and staff.
Down the road, Comal ISD also found itself facing similar challenges, as their internet service issues impacted all campuses and their support services office. They did, however, assure everyone that 911 emergency calling services are still available despite the outage.
What’s Next?
As of now, KSAT has reached out to the Texas Education Service Center for more details on the extent of the internet outage and to determine how many other districts in the area are affected. For now, everyone is playing the waiting game, hoping for a quick resolution to these connectivity woes.
The internet plays a huge role in our day-to-day activities, especially for students who rely on it for learning and communication. As more information becomes available, we will keep you updated. Until then, be sure to check in with your school district for the latest updates regarding internet service!
If you are affected by this outage, stay safe and stay connected as best you can!
