Fiber installations spark property damage, utility strike concerns

INDIAN TRAIL, N.C. — Fiber installation projects in some neighborhoods are fueling concerns after reported issues and complaints, including damaged property, utility strikes, and repeated disruptions in neighborhoods.

Mark Watkins says four different fiber companies have dug up his yard on separate occasions to install fiber lines.

“Is there a limit? If there’s not, then we can just have this kind of destructive pattern continue,” Watkins, a homeowner in Hemby Commons, said.

Three fiber companies have worked in the Bent Creek neighborhood in Indian Trail. One homeowner said crews hit her water line twice in the last few months, and she has been under at least five boil water advisories because of other damaged lines.

“They have probably been hit the hardest that I know of,” Indian Trail Town Manager Adam McLamb said.

McLamb said five fiber companies and their subcontractors are currently working in eight neighborhoods. The list includes Frontier Fiber with Verizon, Gigapower Fiber with AT&T, GFiber with Google, Kinetic Fiber with Windstream and Ripple Fiber.

McLamb said the town has been inundated with complaints.

“It pretty much has ended up taking up the full staff time of one full individual on our team over the last couple of months,” McLamb said.

Indian Trail plans to address the issue when it settles its legislative priorities by the end of the year.

“We don’t want to stop growth, right? We don’t want to stop the free market from being able to go through the process. We just want to have a little bit more accountability and a little bit more conversation with some of the providers,” McLamb said.

Watkins agreed.

“I’m glad that it sounds like some people in authority representing the community are trying to get some answers. I think that’s imperative, and I would love it to be a priority,” Watkins said.

The town of Indian Trail has a page dedicated to third-party fiber installation.

McLamb said residents who have an issue with a fiber company should first contact the company to try to resolve it. If that doesn’t work, residents can contact the town, which can act as a mediator.

In some cases involving ongoing problems, the town has the authority to issue a temporary stop-work order, though it does not stop the work entirely.

McLamb said the town is also requiring companies to display signs and notify neighbors about work on town-owned roads.

Stallings also raises concerns

In Stallings, the Union County Fire Marshal’s Office said a house fire last month was caused by a fiber company hitting a power line.

“The Union County Fire Marshal’s Office responded to investigate the cause of the fire you are referring to. We can confirm that a fiber company hit a power line while doing work in the area, which resulted in an energized boost to a cable wire, in turn causing this fire at a home.”

Stallings town leaders drafted a letter calling for a state and federal review of fiber deployment accountability, resident protection, and local right-of-way authority.

“We support expanding broadband access, but we’ve heard repeatedly from residents about various issues including utility strikes, property damage, service interruptions, and restoration concerns,” Town Manager Alex Sewell said.

The letter focuses on better accountability for providers and contractors, clearer processes for residents to get issues resolved, and improved coordination to reduce repeated disruptions in neighborhoods.”

Stallings also created a fiber construction information page to help residents find provider contacts and report concerns.

Responses:

Channel 9’s Gina Esposito asked about these concerns to the five companies.

The following responded.

GFiber: “Google Fiber takes construction concerns very seriously and follows local guidelines during the process, including locating any existing utilities before beginning work. We are working with the appropriate entities in Indian Trail to resolve these issues. Residents can always call (877) 454-6959 with any construction concerns they may have, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”

Kinetic Fiber (Windstream): ‘We’re proud to invest in Union County bringing ultra-fast, reliable multi-gigabit fiber internet to local homes. For too long, many neighborhoods have lacked high-speed connection options and have been underserved. Kinetic Fiber gives residents true competitive choice, higher symmetrical speeds, superior fiber-optic reliability, exceptional value, and an elevated customer experience. While we make every effort to minimize service interruptions, expanding modern infrastructure into established neighborhoods requires significant coordination, and we fully recognize that underground construction can be disruptive. We sincerely apologize to any residents who have experienced inconvenience or utility disruptions. We follow notification requirements and support prompt repair work. While every project strictly adheres to North Carolina 811 locate laws, any line cuts typically stem from unmapped or mislocated legacy lines, utilities installed at non-standard depths, or cramped rights-of-way. We remain fully committed to working hand-in-hand with local leadership and utility providers to complete this crucial infrastructure expansion as safely and smoothly as possible.”

Ripple Fiber: “We understand residents are frustrated by the recent utility disruptions in Union County. Ripple Fiber, now part of Eaton Fiber, completed our Union County fiber build in July 2026. The crews that residents may see are repairing our lines, which have been struck by other providers working in the same rights-of-way. We take every incident seriously and repair damaged fiber as quickly as possible. Customers affected by an outage receive timely alerts and updates from our team, and residents can reach us at 800-359-5767 or ripplefiber.com/support.”

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