A stray bullet caused a massive internet outage Friday across North Texas.
It was not immediately clear how many customers were affected. Outage tracking site DownDetector said nearly 25,000 customers reported losing Spectrum internet service Friday afternoon in North and Central Texas. By 4 p.m., service was largely restored.
In addition to Dallas, the hardest-hit cities included Irving, Plano, Arlington, Austin and San Antonio, according to DownDetector.
The outage was caused by a stray bullet that damaged a fiber optic cable, a Spectrum spokesperson told The Dallas Morning News. The company did not provide the location of the damaged cable.
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“Our teams worked quickly to make the necessary repairs and get customers back online,” Spectrum said in a statement. “We apologize for the inconvenience.”
Spectrum is one of the nation’s largest internet providers with more than 31 million customers in 41 states across the country.
Spectrum Customers, we are aware of an interruption of services in parts of Central and North Texas. We are working to restore services as quickly as possible and appreciate your patience.
— Ask Spectrum (@Ask_Spectrum) September 26, 2025