A fiber-optic attack cut internet service for Spectrum customers in Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and Koreatown after more than 1,400 lines were destroyed.
A fiber-optic attack in Los Angeles knocked Spectrum customers offline across Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and Koreatown over the weekend after vandals destroyed more than 1,400 lines. The outage hit residents after cables were slashed in Baldwin Hills on Friday, cutting web access for part of the weekend and adding to a second wave of disruption across Southern California.
Pictures from the scene showed cables pulled from the ground and cut in half, while emergency crews worked to get service back up. Spectrum said it filed a police report with the Los Angeles Police Department and restored outages over the weekend. A company spokesman said, “We are splicing more than 1,400 fibers that were cut to restore service,” and described the damage as part of a broader problem facing the telecom industry. He added that such attacks are not only criminal but also a threat to public safety.
The company is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information that leads to arrests. At this point, no one has been identified in connection with the damage, and the method used to cut the lines has not been publicly explained. Spectrum also said there was no clear sign the vandals were after valuable metal, since fiber-optic lines do not contain copper or other precious metals.
The Los Angeles outage came just one day before a separate attack on Verizon’s network triggered anger over mass service disruptions on Saturday and Sunday. Verizon said the damage was deliberate physical destruction of critical communications infrastructure. The company said the cuts affected wireless and internet service for customers in Los Angeles and surrounding areas, with outage reports beginning early Sunday in the San Fernando Valley and beyond.
“A fiber-optic attack cut internet service for Spectrum customers in Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and Koreatown after more than 1,400 lines were destroyed.”
A Verizon spokesperson said the interruptions were caused by multiple fiber cables being cut and said repairs were underway, with service expected to return by early evening local time. The company also said these were not ordinary property crimes, but dangerous disruptions that can cut off key lifelines for first responders and public safety officials who need constant connectivity.
Spectrum said it monitors its lines with 24-hour surveillance and will prosecute anyone who damages its infrastructure. Both Spectrum and Verizon rank among the largest internet providers in the region and the country, which made the attacks especially disruptive for ordinary households and for emergency communications.
The twin incidents underline how exposed communications networks can be when physical infrastructure is targeted. For Southern Californians, the immediate impact was a weekend without reliable internet and mobile service; for the country, the broader warning is that attacks on fiber lines can hit homes, businesses and public safety at once.
Authorities and the carriers are still dealing with the aftermath, and the next developments will center on repairs, any arrests and whether more attacks are linked. The takeaway: when vandals strike internet lines, everyday life and emergency response both pay the price.
Frequently asked questions
Which areas lost internet service in the Spectrum outage?
Spectrum customers in West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Koreatown were affected after the fiber lines were cut in Baldwin Hills.
How much damage did the vandals cause?
Spectrum said more than 1,400 fiber-optic lines were destroyed and crews were splicing those fibers to restore service.
Was there another similar incident nearby?
Yes. Verizon said it suffered a separate attack that caused service interruptions across Southern California on Saturday and Sunday.
What is Spectrum doing now?
Spectrum said it filed a police report, is monitoring its lines with 24-hour surveillance, and is offering up to $25,000 for information leading to arrests.
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