AT&T customers in South Dallas losing service after thieves steal copper cables

Some AT&T customers in South Dallas are experiencing phone and internet service outages due to thieves stealing copper wire, according to the company.

One of the affected areas is Green Hill Road in South Oak Cliff, where residents are frustrated by frequent service blackouts.

Reginald Terry, a local resident, said that for the past few months, his AT&T internet has intermittently gone offline for days. He mentioned that customer service often blamed the outages on storms, even during calm weather.

Terry discovered the actual cause of the issue when he spoke with an AT&T technician working in the area. “He said I’m going to tell you the truth, they’re stealing the copper off the wires, off the lines,” Terry explained. “He said we can’t catch who’s doing it.”

An AT&T spokesperson confirmed the issue to NBC 5, stating, “We’re working as quickly as possible to restore home phone and internet service to affected customers in South Dallas following a recent copper cable theft. Theft and vandalism of critical communications infrastructure are serious matters that disrupt essential services for our customers, public safety, and the community at large, and we’re actively working with local law enforcement as they investigate to find those responsible.”

Terry expressed his frustration, noting that the outages have forced his son to stop working from home. “It controls my alarm system, Wi-Fi controls everything in the house basically,” Terry said. “So when it goes down, you can’t watch TV, the alarm system doesn’t work, you can’t use the computer.”

Terry and his neighbors are trying to adapt to the outages, sometimes listening to Texas Rangers games on the radio while waiting for the internet to be restored. However, they believe that the company and police need to do more to address the copper thefts.

“We’re paying for a service that we’re not receiving, basically,” Terry said. “I know they can’t control thieves stealing their copper, but they’re the provider, and we want them to come up with a solution to this.”

NBC 5 contacted Dallas police for a response to residents’ concerns. The department acknowledged the issue of metal theft, including copper theft, and assured that all cases are investigated thoroughly. Dallas Police encourage residents and businesses to report all suspicious activity and crimes to law enforcement.