MAY 6, 2025: Well, it has been nearly a month since a landline outage. Maybe the problem has been fixed!

APRIL 9, 2025: Landline service was restored around 1 p.m.

APRIL 8, 2025 (Tuesday): Landline service was out all day.

APRIL 3, 2025: Landline service was restored this morning.

APRIL 2, 2025: Landline service is still out.

APRIL 1, 2025 (Tuesday): Landline service was restored around 9 a.m., but went out again later in the day.

MARCH 31, 2025: Landline service went out following a power blink around 4:45 p.m.  Cell service was also out very briefly following the blink.

MARCH 26, 2025: Landline service was restored late in the afternoon.

MARCH 25, 2025 (Tuesday) UPDATE: Landlines are not working, but the internet is, after an overnight outage.

MARCH 18, 2025 (Tuesday) UPDATE: Landline service was out again until late afternoon. The internet was fine.

MARCH 11, 2025 (Tuesday) UPDATE: Landline service was restored Wednesday morning after being out again all day Tuesday. Seems like this often happens on a Tuesday, just when the MCWD staff is in the office and trying to return calls. As usual, the internet was working just fine.

MARCH 4, 2025 (Tuesday) UPDATE: Landlines were once again out. Service was restored around 2 p.m. As usual, the internet was working just fine.

FEBRUARY 18, 2025 (Tuesday) UPDATE:  Landline service was out until 3:30 p.m. The technician said that Mineral's landline phones rely on an ancient (1970s) radio in the Frontier building on Mineral Avenue. This radio communicates with towers on Inskip Mountain, which then communicates with a tower in Palo Cedro. Frontier plans to replace the radio this summer.

FEBRUARY 5, 2025 UPDATE: Landline service was restored at 8 a.m.

FEBRUARY 4, 2025 (Tuesday) UPDATE:  Now it's chronic. This morning, 595 landline phones were out again, but service was restored shortly after noon. Internet access was uninterrupted until late afternoon, but was restored around 10:30 p.m. 

FEBRUARY 3, 2025 UPDATE:  Landline service was restored around 9 a.m. According to a Frontier technician, back-up generators to the tower on Morgan failed to start when the Saturday night power outage occurred, resulting in a repeat of what happened in mid-January.   Whenever this occurs, 911 is only available by cell service, which has been dropping more calls than usual lately. 

FEBRUARY 2, 2025 UPDATE:  This morning, 595 landline phones are out again. Internet service is uninterrupted. Let's hope landline-dependent folks will be able to somehow call 911 if something untoward occurs during the ongoing winter storm that began last night.

THE PROBLEM BEGAN IN MID-JANUARY 

Beginning on Monday, January 13, 2025, folks in the 595 exchange began having trouble with their wired telephone (land line) service. A loud and continuous tone was emitted from the handset, and the user could not enter any number, including 911.

Service continued to be out on January 14 (Tuesday). Service was finally restored on the 15th, but then it was out again on the 16th and the morning of the 17th. After it returned on the afternoon of the 17th, it was out again on the 21st (Tuesday) and 22nd. 

The Frontier Communications technician who finally repaired the service shortly before noon on the 22nd stated that the problem originated in Chester. She explained why internet was (thankfully) still available during these outages: their microwave drums have 3 antennas--two for data and one for land lines.

In addition to several individuals, important area services and businesses (who are paying commercial rates), such as the National Park Service, the Post Office, the Mineral County Water District, the Mineral Lodge, the Mill Creek Resort, and the Highlands Ranch Resort experienced long interruptions to their service throughout the week.