FIBERNET SERVICES GO DOWN

(07/11/2007)
FiberNet worked most of the day yesterday to restore telephone service to its customers throughout West Virginia, including several hospitals.

The Charleston-based fiber-optic company says its primary and secondary switching unit went out.

About 15,000 to 20,000 customers were without service.

FiberNet serves 45,000 customers.

Company President Dave Armentrout says the system went down about 5:30 Tuesday morning. Armentrout says the system is supposed to have multiple backups, but somehow the equipment failed.

Company Vice President Terry Smarr says hospitals in Fayette, Harrison, Putnam and Raleigh counties were affected, as well as customers in Beckley, Charleston, Clarksburg, Huntington, Morgantown, Parkersburg and other communities.