Reporter: Brinkley Hill
•7/28/2026
LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. (WINK)—A widespread Quantum Fiber outage entered its eighth day, leaving more than 200 households without internet access.
An AT&T spokesperson said a third party damaged multiple sections of fiber optic lines. The company said it appreciates customers' patience while crews work to restore service.
One Lehigh Acres mother said she can't wait any longer because her job is on the line. Niki Bonds works in healthcare and must be connected to Ethernet, not just a Wi-Fi signal, for client protection.
"I've been a nervous wreck 'cause obviously I need to keep my job. It's very stressful," Bonds said. "You know, you have bills. You have a baby. You know, I have necessities I need to get, and, um, I don't have, like, PTO and stuff built up, so this whole week I'm not getting paid for that we've haven't had internet."
Bonds said her company has a policy that allows termination if an employee calls out for three consecutive days.
"I'm shocked that my job still has me on," she said.
Other neighbors who work from home went to restaurants and coffee shops with public WiFi. Christopher Perez said he and other residents are frustrated by the lack of information.
"We don't know why the out is happening, and two, every single update they do is, you know, misinformation," Perez said. "They always say it's going to be fixed by tonight, and it's been saying that every single day for a week, so pretty bad."
Perez reached out to Quantum Fiber to ask whether the company would offer a discount on his services. He said representatives told him his next month would be free, but he was charged days later.
Bonds also contacted Quantum and explained her work situation. The company offered her a $15 discount.
"I was like, 'Yeah, a $15 credit, that's really gonna cover my whole last paycheck, the stress that I've been having every day, like, trying to let my job know, Hey, it's another day without internet,'" Bonds said.
Neighbors said they want Quantum Fiber to be more transparent about restoration expectations and what stage repairs are in.
"I wish they would, um, understand how we rely on them. You know, they like to advertise how reliable they are," Bonds said. "Uh, people do rely on them for their livelihood and their jobs, like, not just, you know, entertainment."
Bonds said that if Quantum Fiber had communicated, there would have been a long-term outage; she could have made arrangements to stay with family who live more than five hours away. She has been looking into switching providers, but a technician won't be able to connect her until next week at the earliest.
WINK News reached out to AT&T again for a better understanding of the repair process, but has not heard back.
