Here’s how operators are recovering from Hurricane Helene's destruction

More than a million residents in the southeastern U.S. started the week without fixed broadband and plenty more without cell phone service after Hurricane Helene brought never-before-seen levels of flooding to the valleys of Appalachia. Some operators on the extent of the damage and anticipated timelines for recovery:

• Verizon: Verizon said its engineers continue to make progress in network restoration with Florida, Upstate South Carolina and areas of East Georgia seeing a return to service, but a substantial amount of work remains in the hardest hit areas, like Asheville, North Carolina.
• Brightspeed: Brightspeed, whose footprint includes many states in the South and along the Atlantic seaboard, said that downed trees, flooded communities, washed-out roadways and bridges significantly impacted its network as well as local power companies. However, a company spokesperson said, “Nearly all of our Brightspeed Fiber customers who experienced service interruptions due to Helene are back online."
• AT&T: An AT&T spokesperson said, “The unprecedented destruction and flooding have mobilized our Emergency Operations Center to provide round-the-clock support to all AT&T teams, ensuring they have the resources they need to restore vital connectivity to the affected areas.” Since AT&T is also the operator of the nation’s FirstNet network, the company said its teams are also in continuous coordination with federal, state and local authorities.