Residents of Chapel Hill have been experiencing issues, like breaks in water lines, as a result of fiber installation.
AT&T and Google are both working to install fiber optic cable in Chapel Hill. The new cable infrastructure will allow for gigabit internet service at 100 times the speed of standard broadband. Chapel Hill is one of a handful of towns in the country to have two high speed internet providers.
AT&T has been installing fiber cable in Chapel Hill since late 2014. Google began installation last week.
In an email to the town council, council member Ed Harrison said that OWASA lines had been cut 6 times since July 2015 due to fiber installation, including a recent water line break on Pope Road.
Multiple media outlets have reported issues with fiber installation around the triangle.
According to Ross Tompkins, assistant to the town manager for administrative and program management in Chapel Hill, crews have been working to install Google Fiber on Estes Drive near the library and on Highway 54 near the Meadowmont neighborhood. A timeline for when the service will be available has not yet been announced.
In a release, the town said that while utility crews are allowed to work as long as they remain in the right of way, they are expected to clean up any mess. If you have any concerns regarding fiber cable installation you can notify the town.
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