WASHINGTON – More than one thousand Verizon customers were without service on Friday after overnight highway construction damaged some of the company’s cables.
Verizon says phone and internet service for 1,100 landlines in the Merrifield area of northern Virginia were affected. Verizon FIOS customers are not affected.
The company says a contractor doing construction work damaged three communication cables and the ducts containing the cables.
The Virginia Department of Transportation says Verizon crews are expected to be near the intersection of Gallows Road and Lee Highway in Falls Church until 5 p.m. Monday. They say drivers should plan an alternate commute, especially during the morning and afternoon rush hours.
As of Saturday morning, Verizon crews have replaced one of the three cables and are splicing the copper wires into those cables. Service will being to be restored for customers as the lines are spliced and tested.
The company warns it will likely take days to restore service to everybody.
Verizon asks that customers with service problems should call 1-800-VERIZON(837- 4966).
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