Service Outages Disrupt Connectivity in San Antonio School Districts

Service Outages Affect San Antonio School Districts

San Antonio – Several school districts in the area are grappling with significant service outages, impacting both internet and telephone connectivity. The educational institutions affected include Comal Independent School District (ISD), Judson ISD, Northside ISD, and Hondo ISD. The outages are attributed to an issue with Zayo, a major internet service provider (ISP) in the region.

Who is affected?

The outages have primarily hit three school districts: Comal ISD, Judson ISD, and Northside ISD, which rely on Zayo for their internet services. Additionally, Hondo ISD has reported interruptions, indicating widespread problems across multiple districts in San Antonio and nearby Austin. The Education Service Center, Region 20, stated that affected districts subscribe to Zayo, confirming that the outage is not impacting all 89 districts in the region.

What happened?

According to reports, Comal ISD announced the internet outage around 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, indicating that all campuses and Support Services were experiencing interruptions. They are working closely with Zayo to restore service promptly. Judson ISD reported connectivity issues earlier at 11:30 a.m., noting that their technology team was addressing the problem in collaboration with their ISP.

Northside ISD also reported a district-wide outage due to a cut fiber line. They confirmed that this incident affected San Antonio, Austin, and the I-35 corridor. Meanwhile, Hondo ISD noted its service interruption at approximately 1:40 p.m., stating that they are in coordination with Zayo and Region 20 for resolution. Parents have been directed to visit their school district’s website for alternative contact methods while services are disrupted.

Where is this occurring?

The outages are being felt across several school districts in and around San Antonio, Texas. Specifically, the affected areas include Comal, Judson, Northside, and Hondo ISDs, with interruptions also reported in parts of Austin due to the same ISP services.

When did it happen?

Reports of the outages started surfacing early in the day on Tuesday, with Judson ISD posting their issues at 11:30 a.m., followed by Comal ISD at 2:30 p.m., and Hondo ISD shortly thereafter at 1:40 p.m. The exact timing of the service disruptions has not been specified, but they appear to have emerged throughout the afternoon.

Why is this important?

The loss of internet and phone service in educational settings is particularly concerning, as it can disrupt communication, affect online learning, and hinder administrative operations. Fortunately, the Education Service Center, Region 20, has confirmed that there have been no reports of disruptions to school schedules, indicating that teaching and learning continue as planned. Northside ISD has indicated that their staff members remain available to provide necessary services and guidance to students and families during this time.

The situation is still developing, and as of now, no estimate has been provided regarding when services will be fully restored. An official statement from Zayo is still pending, leaving many school officials and parents in anticipation of further clarification on the ongoing issues.