AT&T Restores 911 Service After Major Fiber Cut in Mississippi, Louisiana

911 emergency services across Mississippi and Louisiana experienced significant outages on September 25, 2025, due to damage to AT&T fiber optic lines, which officials described as accidental fiber cuts with no signs of foul play or cyberattacks. The outages affected most parishes, including major cities such as Baton Rouge and New Orleans, leaving millions without direct access to emergency services for several hours. Authorities urged residents to use alternative local phone numbers for emergencies and to avoid non-urgent calls to reduce congestion on backup lines. Some areas with upgraded Next Generation 911 systems, like Livingston Parish, were unaffected by the outage. By late afternoon, AT&T confirmed that service had been restored after crews repaired the damaged fiber optic lines. State emergency management agencies remained on standby but reported no requests for additional local support during the incident.