City of Cortez general service director Rick Smith said the repairs are intended fix lines that were damaged about a year ago. Engineers made a patchwork fix to the lines, and the forthcoming repairs would make it a permanent one.
On March 15, service that runs on the “96 count fiber” or lines that service the west side of Cortez, will be cut for repairs. On March 22, service that runs on the “144 count fiber” or lines that service the east side of town will be cut for repairs.
“(The outage date) depends on the location and service provider,” said Smith. “Everyone will go down at some point, but public safety and the hospital will be given the highest priority (to come back online).”
Smith says crews will work to limit the outages to less than 30 minutes per instance, beginning at 5 a.m., but they could last longer.
“We’re starting at 5 a.m. and hope to have it done that day. It would be back up within five to six hours maximum,” said Smith. “There’s no good time to do this, but we’re trying to pick the least intrusive time to do it, and do it right.”
The Cortez Service Center advises customers with questions to contact providers directly.
Internet service providers that use the Cortez Fiber Community and will be affected are as follows:
Farmers Telephone: 970-562-4211
Velocity Net: 970-560-2577
Data Safe Services: 970-759-2229
Fast Track Communications: 970-247-3366
Fore Thought: 1-303-815-1814
Cedar Networks: 970-38-2500
Alpine Security: 970-565-1120