Following a communications outage on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands on Wednesday – the third outage of 2025 – community-wide questions are resurfacing on where to access 911 and emergency internet service, and what is being done to fix the underlying outage issues.
While Wednesday’s outage was attributed to a cut cable in Nags Head per multiple reports, many of these now-routine outages have stemmed from damage to the fiber optic cable on Hatteras Island, and specifically within the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge.
Located on the oceanside of N.C. Highway 12, and in a highly problematic area when it comes to ocean flooding and dune maintenance, this stretch of cable can accidentally be cut when North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) crews or contractors are working in the area.
The cable is owned and managed by Brightspeed, but it links Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands to communication services from various providers.
“We are keenly aware of the challenges that the natural environment in this area present, and that the community depends on our fiber line for vital connectivity,” said Gene Rodriguez Miller, Public Relations Director for Brightspeed, in an email to SamWalkerOBXNews.com and Island Free Press.
“We have completed the relocation of a portion of our fiber network that provides high-speed internet connectivity to the southern Outer Banks, including Dare County,” said Miller, referring to an 800-foot-long section of cable near the Pea Island Visitor Center that was moved to the west side of N.C. Highway 12 in early April. “The relocation [also] included boring to a depth of 10 feet to ensure the lines won’t be disturbed by DOT work. However, more of our network in the area is still vulnerable to damage.”
Miller added that the Pea Island Wildlife Refuge section was a particular area of concern, and that the cable “is often cut” when dune maintenance and road repairs are underway.
“Simultaneously, we have submitted for a 5-year easement permit for our fiber network currently on the east side of the road,” said Miller. “Knowing that we want to eventually move our network to the safer, west side of the road, we also submitted a 50-year easement permit for permanent placement of our fiber network on the west side. These easements are required before we can move forward. We submitted for both of these easement permits late last year and are awaiting review and approval. These two easement submissions are not related to the recent repair and move of the 800-foot section of our fiber network.”
Beyond this specific area, Miller stated that Brightspeed is also working with North Carolina legislators on a grant that would allow them to deploy a submarine fiber network from Ocracoke Island to mainland North Carolina that would create a network loop along the Outer Banks and establish network redundancy.
“Network redundancy ensures that service interruptions are limited when there is damage to a portion of our network,” said Miller. “This could provide much-needed relief to what we know is a challenge for members of the Outer Banks communities.”
Should the state legislators approve the grant, the deployment of the submarine fiber network would take approximately two years to complete.
Where to access 911 and public internet during a communications outage on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands
For future outages, there are multiple locations where Hatteras and Ocracoke Islanders can connect to the outside world.
In 2024, Dare County Emergency Management partnered with all six Hatteras Island fire departments to install Compact Rapid Deployable (CRD) devices that can connect to 911 in case of an emergency. As a result of this venture, when an outage occurs, residents and visitors are advised to try texting to 911, and to head to their nearest fire department or EMS Station if the 911 call/text does not go through.
“Before the CRDs, you had to get to a station and ask a first responder to provide help or call Dare Central using a radio,” said Drew Pearson, Dare County Emergency Management Director, in an email to Island Free Press. “Now when the CRDs are deployed and operating, each one has a cellular coverage range of up to two miles. That means 911 callers should have cell service access for about two miles around each CRD location. The coverage and signal strength does improve best the closer you get to a CRD.”
Click here for a map of CRD locations and estimated coverage areas.
In addition, there are several community options for broader internet access, outside of 911 access alone.
The Frisco Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) has a Starlink communications station set up during these outages, which the public is welcome to connect to after requesting a password from Frisco VFD members.
“When these emergencies occur, we are always manning the station, and we set up [the Starlink system] as quickly as possible, and as soon as we get the outage alert,” said Frisco VFD Chief Steve Faranello.
In addition, the Hatteras Island Community Emergency Response Team (HI CERT) is planning to provide public internet access behind the Outer Banks Health Center in Avon, adjacent to the Dare MedFlight helicopter pad.
HI CERT received a $26,900 grant in 2023 to purchase three Starlink satellite internet systems, but the small nonprofit organization that operates on donations alone does not have the funds to keep all three systems up and running year-round, which is an estimated cost of $495 per month.
“We are working to implement a plan to turn on one unit and have it on all the time behind the Avon medical center so that anyone can go and use it,” said Mandy Haage Fuller of HI CERT. “We won’t have a password, so anyone can drive up and access [the internet], and if we know we’re going to have a prolonged outage – such as after a hurricane – we can toggle on the other units as needed.”
Other organizations are also looking into establishing their own Starlink satellite systems to expand internet access throughout the island.
For example, the Avon VFD is in the final planning stages of how to manage its own Starlink station once it is up and running in the very near future.
“We are waiting on components that we ordered last week [and] we are trying to figure out how we are going to operate it so that we have enough bandwidth to do what we need to do, and also help the community at the same time,” said Avon VFD Chief Frank Hopkins, noting that the station is looking into extenders that will expand the internet access reach to 2,000 feet.
“It is in the works. [We’re] just waiting on equipment and mounting, etc.,” he said.
On Ocracoke Island, Tekniam modules are located at the Hyde County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocracoke Community Center, the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department, and at the Harborside Motel. When an outage occurs, islanders can go to any of these sites for emergency internet access.
While public internet access improves, many islanders and organizations are reaching out to various officials for help on fixing the underlying issues that cause the periodic outages.
In fact, the Buxton Civic Association, Rodanthe-Waves-Salvo Civic Association, Hatteras Village Civic Association, and Frisco VFD sent a jointly-signed letter about the problem on April 6 – three days before the latest communications outage.
“We strongly urge county officials to take immediate action to implement a long-term, reliable solution,” states the letter. “We understand that the area in which the breaches frequently occur are under the domain and/or use of multiple entities including National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the N.C. Department of Transportation. However, we believe that all of these groups must see the necessity of taking action to prevent these continued breaches. Whether through infrastructure reinforcement, relocation of the line, alternate emergency communications options, or redundancy measures, it is imperative that steps be taken to prevent future outages and safeguard our community.”
The letter in its entirety can be read here.
Folks who want to donate to HI CERT to help fund the organization’s goal of expanding emergency internet access can reach out to HI CERT via email at hatterascert@gmail.com or connect with the non-profit organization on their Facebook page.
Donations can also be mailed to:
HI CERT
PO Box 35
Avon, NC 27915
Not that big of a deal really, fire station and EMS in every village. Just keep cash on hand for purchases, problem solved.
It’s a blessing in disguise when internet is out, an opportunity for the children’s to actually do something. Although with this recent outage I heard a kid complain ‘there’s nothing to do’. That is truly sad and disheartening.
Kids need to not be allowed these devises, it’s the only hope for everyone’s future..
I worry about our elders who may live alone or have a partner who can’t physically help them. If someone has a medical emergency or accident at home and is unable to call for help they may not survive.
But killing grandma at least it keeps those darn kids off their phones!