Copper Thieves Cause 20,000 to Lose Internet in Georgetown, Texas
Optimum customers were left without internet service on Monday morning due to damage.
WASHINGTON, July 14, 2026 – Thousands of Optimum customers in Georgetown, Texas, were left without internet service on Monday morning due to fiber-optic network damage caused by criminals.
According to CBS Austin, the Georgetown Police Department said the damage caused an outage for 20,000 customers, disrupted service for T-Mobile customers and caused damage exceeding $100,000. The lines near I-35 and Northwest Boulevard were damaged in the early morning.
Optimum said it has crews working on repairs. In a July 13 statement, the company explained, “Our teams responded immediately and are working to restore service after our network was deliberately damaged by criminal activity. We appreciate customers’ patience and urge the community to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to local authorities.”
According to CBS Austin, the police are currently working to identify the thieves responsible, stating, "Detectives are reviewing available evidence, including surveillance footage, and are working to identify the individual responsible.” Police said it had no details regarding the investigation at this time.
Optimum believes the attack was the work of copper thieves targeting telecommunications infrastructure to find copper to illegally sell. The company said that its fiber-optic network does not contain copper and has no resale value after being cut.
However, repairing the damage will take time because dozens of small strands, each about the width of a human hair, have to be spliced together. Meanwhile, connections are disrupted for residents, including 911 services.
Copper theft has become a growing concern in the telecommunications industry, with over 18,000 incidents reported in 2025. Major telecommunications trade associations are holding a network vandalism summit on July 15 to address the threat.
Federal Communications Commissioner Olivia Trusty has previously called for Congress to take action against thieves, saying the act is property crime and a national security issue. The commissioner is scheduled to speak at a network vandalism summit on Capitol Hill on July 15.
To address copper theft, Reps. Laurel Lee, R-Fla., and Marc Veasey introduced the Stopping the Theft and Destruction of Broadband Act in April 2025. The bill would impose stronger penalties on criminals who damage the infrastructure and amend federal law to include broadband facilities.
