Monday, October 7 @ 5:00 p.m.
As our response team readies for Milton, this is our final update for Helene. Thanks to the determination of our techs, construction, maintenance, and engineers, who have been working tirelessly since Helene made landfall, we can report that the majority of our customers are back online and enjoying essential services.
The final stages of clean-up after a severe storm can be challenging, with secondary outages caused by accidental fiber cuts, replacement of temporary lines, and the extensive task of investigating individual homes and businesses with fiber damage. For those still experiencing service interruptions, we apologize for the inconvenience and invite you to visit your Xfinity App to speak with a representative for more information.
Helene hit the Big Bend as a Category 4 hurricane, bringing record-level storm surges and high-speed winds, toppling trees, and impacting vital services for many Floridians. Our dedicated response team of more than 275 tech experts worked around the clock to replace 96 miles of the fiber network. To aid residents and emergency personnel, we also opened over 105,000 hotspots throughout impacted areas in Florida.
Throughout this all, our response crews have been met with kindness, generosity, and a spirit of understanding. We thank our customers for their trust and support as we worked to ensure they don’t miss the moments that matter.
Friday, October 4 @ 4:50 p.m.
With their commitment to getting our customers online as quickly as possible after Hurricane Helene, a category 4 hurricane and one of the most devastating hurricanes to hit the US, our hard-working emergency response team, comprising of technicians, construction and maintenance experts, has predominately restored 99% storm-impacted Comcast Business and Xfinity customers. With the potential for scattered storms and showers coming our way, our team members are prepared to monitor and access concerns with our network throughout the weekend.
For our customers on the heavy-hit barrier islands in Lee, Charlotte and Sarasota Counties including Barefoot Beach, Boca Grande, Captiva, Estero Island, Longboat Key, Manasota Key, Sanibel, Siesta Key, the work does not stop as we have boots on the ground removing debris, sand and repairing extensive network damage. We apologize for the inconvenience of this extended outage, but please know we are working as quickly and as safely as possible to rebuild equipment.
We also continue to experience fiber cuts as debris removal crews have been inadvertently cutting some of our new lines that have been put in place, and these cuts have caused intermittent service outages.
To aid in connectivity, we have opened 105,000+ open hotspots in impacted areas of Florida for everyone, customer or not, to access. These hotspots remain open for anyone to use, free of charge. To learn how to get connected, please visit this page.
**Please note: only areas that have power will have active hotspots. The WiFi hotspot map will list all locations, but only hotspots with electricity will be active. As power is restored, additional WiFi hotspot options will become available.
Thursday, October 3 @ 2:15 p.m.
In the past 24 hours, our dedicated emergency response teams have restored nearly 98% of Helene-impacted Comcast Business and Xfinity customers and the work continues to get the remaining customers back online.
On Florida’s barrier islands in Lee, Charlotte and Sarasota counties, including Barefoot Beach, Boca Grande, Captiva, Estero Island, Longboat Key, Manasota Key, Sanibel, Siesta Key, work is ongoing to remove debris and sand. Unfortunately, there have been some cases where third-party cleanup crews have inadvertently cut Comcast lines. Our dedicated technicians are on the ground working to repair those damaged lines and in some cases, rebuild equipment that suffered damage in the storm surge.
For predominantly restored cities – such as Jacksonville and Tallahassee – our teams are blanketing the area, going street by street, line by line to visit each house and business to ensure connectivity. If you have power but services are still disconnected, there may have been damage to your line directly impacting your services. Please visit your Xfinity App to contact a representative for information and updates.
We also continue to experience fiber cuts as debris removal crews have been accidentally cutting some of our new lines that have been put in place, and these cuts have caused intermittent service outages in places like Jacksonville, Port Charlotte and Tallahassee.
We apologize for these outages and know how important our services are for you and your family. Please know that our response teams will continue to work 24/7 to get you connected as quickly as possible. We apologize for the extended outage and will not stop until all our customers are back online.
To aid in connectivity, we have opened 105,000+ open hotspots in impacted areas of Florida for everyone, customer or not, to access. These hotspots remain open for anyone to use, free of charge. To learn how to get connected, please visit this page.
**Please note: only areas that have power will have active hotspots. The WiFi hotspot map will list all locations, but only hotspots with electricity will be active. As power is restored, additional WiFi hotspot options will become available.
Wednesday, October 2 @ 2:00 p.m.
Our emergency response teams are continuing to restore Comcast Business and Xfinity services. Our crews have made significant progress with nearly 96% of Helene-impacted customers back online. They’ve been hard at work, repairing more than 1,300 lines across the state.
This part of the restoration phase may go slower than we would like, as it is a tedious and very detailed process of assessing the extent of damage, repairing, and in some cases, rebuilding our fiber network.
From working alongside electric companies in the Big Bend area to a system rebuild for our customers along Florida’s barrier island, our crews will not stop until your services are restored.
Help Us Avoid Fiber Cuts
With storms, there is an extensive and often exhaustive clean-up for all impacted. During this process, clean-up crews, and home and business owners may accidentally cut live and working fiber lines, which would cause intermittent outages for customers that were once restored. Please be careful and avoid lines whenever possible.
To report a downed line, you can chat with an Xfinity Assistant through the Xfinity App or the Xfinity website. Additionally, here are a few tips to help you and your neighbors stay connected:
Tuesday, October 1 @ 2:00 p.m.
Our emergency response teams made significant progress in the past 24 hours, as we are now able to report 95% restoration of services to our Helene impacted customers. With more than 67,000 residents without power, our crews are working in tandem with the utility companies to restore connectivity once electricity returns to homes and businesses.
As we continue to move closer to 100% restoration of customers, the remaining phase can be long and tedious as our techs inspect line by line, street by street, and each home and business, to find and fix every instance of network damage. We truly appreciate your patience as we know this can take longer than we would like, but we will not stop until we have all of our customers connected.
Network Update
As our response team makes great progress in restoring services to our customers, teams are reporting instances of accidental cuts to our newly installed fiber lines, often from residential debris clean-up or tree removals. We ask for your help to be careful near lines, as they may be live and damaging them could cause additional outages.
For the barrier Islands along Florida’s Gulf Coast in Collier, Charlotte, Lee, and Sarasota Counties including Barefoot Beach, Boca Grande, Captiva, Estero Island, Longboat Key, Manasota Key, Sanibel, Siesta Key, Hurricane Helene brought significant storm surge to the area. The storm’s surge flooded areas resulting in significant damage to our network’s sophisticated equipment and fiber. Saltwater impacted electrical systems and we found some equipment buried under sand. As a result, our emergency response experts are working across Southwest Florida to repair and in some cases, rebuild parts of our network. They’re also working on temporary connectivity solves to get our customers online. This can be a time-consuming task but they’re committed to restoring Comcast Business and Xfinity services for every customer impacted.
Greater Jacksonville: We’re making great headway in this area, with most of our customers back online. There are still areas that may be impacted as crews work to repair temporary fixes. Also, we urge residents to be careful when cleaning up debris around their home and business, as they may accidentally cut recently placed cable or fiber lines causing intermittent outages in once restored areas. Additional tips are listed below.
Tallahassee: We’re making great headway in this area, with most of our customers back online. There are still areas that may be impacted as crews work to repair temporary fixes. We urge residents to be careful when cleaning up debris around their home and business, as they may accidentally cut recently placed cable or fiber lines causing intermittent outages in once restored areas. Additional tips are listed below.
While our teams are working to get our remaining customers back online, we have opened 105,000+ open hotspots in impacted areas of Florida for everyone, customer or not, to access. To learn how to get connected, please visit this page.
**Please note: only areas that have power will have active hotspots. The WiFi hotspot map will list all locations, but only hotspots with electricity will be active. As power is restored, additional WiFi hotspot options will become available.
Help Us Avoid Fiber Cuts
With severe weather clean-up and restoration, home and business owners, and power and debris crews may inadvertently cut temporary fiber lines which would cause intermittent outages for customers that were once restored. For those experiencing secondary service interruption, we apologize for the inconvenience, and we are repairing and restoring our lines as quickly as possible.
Even though the storm has passed, we urge you to stay safety aware. To report a downed line, you can chat with an Xfinity Assistant through the Xfinity App or the Xfinity website. Additionally, here are a few tips to help you and your neighbors stay connected:
Monday, September 30 @ 1:30 p.m.
Our Comcast Florida’s emergency response teams are reporting 90% of customers restored from Helene’s impact starting Thursday evening across the state, with the heaviest impact in the Big Bend, the Panhandle, and along our Gulf Coast. As our teams are going town to town, neighborhood to neighborhood, Helene’s impact is devastating, and we are working hard to restore connectivity to homes and businesses in these areas.
Our Emergency Response Teams
With more than 275 response crew members working in rotation for 24-hour coverage in all areas of impact, at last count — they are addressing more than 1,000 damaged locations and estimate replacing 36 miles of fiber and cable.
Network Update
As power is still being restored to your home or business, our teams are strategically positioning fuel-based generators to power our network until commercial power has returned to our facilities. If power has returned to your home or business, we recommend restarting or resetting your devices. You can find additional information by clicking here and consult our active outage map here. In some cases, you may have electricity before power returns to our network, which may cause a delay in the restoration of your services.
Greater Jacksonville: We’re at 97% restored connectivity for the area and will continue to work to gain access to areas with significant destruction, including downed trees and vegetation.
Tallahassee: We’re at 93% restored connectivity, with a few reports of impassable roads due to downed trees and debris obstructing our efforts. Once cleared and given approval, our response team is positioned to quickly gain access to affected areas. This will allow us to promptly assess, repair, and restore connectivity on our fiber network.
Perry / Madison: With widespread power outages, our response team is working with local officials and utilities to safely gain access to impacted areas to access, repair and rebuild our network. Today, Monday, Sept. 30, we’re hosting a Comfort Station at Jay’s Pharmacy (282 S. Jefferson Street, Perry) and the community is welcome to join us for free WiFi, charging stations, water, snacks, supplies, and a local favorite, pizza from Cucinella’s Pizza of Perry. We will have Comcast representatives on-site to answer questions.
While our teams are working to get services back online, we have opened 105,000+ open hotspots in impacted areas of Florida for everyone, customer or not, to access. To learn how to get connected, please visit this page.
**Please note: only areas that have power will have active hotspots. The WiFi hotspot map will list all locations, but only hotspots with electricity will be active. As power is restored, additional WiFi hotspot options will become available.
Xfinity Store Update
All of our Xfinity stores are open and operational for normal business hours. To view a store near you, visit xfinity.com/local or use your Xfinity app for assistance.
We know how essential staying connected is for you, and your continued patience and understanding is greatly appreciated by our hard-working response team during this challenging period. Our dedicated teams are working tirelessly, often in tough conditions, to restore your service as swiftly as possible. While it may take a bit longer than anticipated, please rest assured that we are fully committed to getting you back online. Thank you for your support and trust in us connecting you to those moments that matter most.
Sunday, September 29 @ 9:30 p.m.
As of this evening, our committed emergency response team has reported 89% of Helene impacted customers are back online, and we will continue to work towards 100% restoration throughout Florida.
Comfort Station in Perry, Florida
For Perry area residents, Comcast will be hosting a Comfort Station at Jay’s Pharmacy on Monday, Sept. 30 starting at 9 a.m. for all to attend. Guests will be able to charge devices and connect to WiFi for free. Also, we’ll have Comcast representatives on-site to answer questions and offer water and snacks. We hope to see you there.
Sunday, September 29 @ 3:00 p.m.
We want to thank area power companies, and local and state teams for their partnership in getting customers connectivity. With their assistance in declaring areas safe for our teams, we’ve been able to gain access to downed lines and other damage to our network to complete repairs in some of the heaviest impacted areas across Florida.
Our Emergency Response Teams
Pulling in volunteer technicians from neighboring states, as well as local contract teams, we have 275+ response crew members working in 24/7 rotations to address damage to our network or equipment. Although their bucket truck may not have our branding, or you may not see them on your street, rest assured – we are there. In some situations, the damage may not be near your home or business – but instead miles away. Our team is dedicated to getting you the services you need.
With the assistance of Comcast’s Storm Team 1, we’ve deployed our enhanced Utility Task Vehicle (UTV) to gain access in rough terrain, where trucks and vans cannot reach, to repair our network. Additionally, our teams are responding to 300+ reports of downed lines and broken poles throughout some of Helene’s hardest hit areas in Florida’s Big Bend, the Panhandle and along the state’s Gulf Coast.
Network Update
The emergency response team has made incredible progress since Helene’s Thursday landfall with nearly 82% of our customers back online. As power is still being restored to your home or business, our teams are strategically positioning fuel-based generators to power our network until commercial power has returned to our facilities. In some cases, you may have power before power returns to our facilities, powering the network.
Greater Jacksonville: We’re working closely with local utilities and FDOT to gain access to areas with significant destruction to trees to assess, repair, and, in some cases, rebuild our fiber network.
Tallahassee: Due to downed trees and debris obstructing our efforts, our response team is actively coordinating with local utilities, county officials, and FDOT to gain access to affected areas. This will allow us to promptly assess, repair, and restore connectivity on our fiber network.
While our teams are working to get services back online, we have opened 105,000+ open hotspots in impacted areas of Florida for everyone, customer or not, to access. To learn how to get connected, please visit this page.
**Please note: only areas that have power will have active hotspots. The WiFi hotspot map will list all locations, but only hotspots with electricity will be active. As power is restored, additional WiFi hotspot options will become available.
Customer Service
For customers experiencing service interruption due to Helene, until we restore service, you will not be charged.
- Xfinity Mobile by the gig customers, directly impacted by Helene in Perry, Madison, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, and Port Charlotte, we will proactively credit overage fees from September 26 – October 2, 2024.
- Once your service has been restored, to inquire about service credits, please use your Xfinity App to chat with a representative or call 1-800-XFINITY (800-934-6489).
Xfinity Store Update
The following Xfinity store location is closed today due to power issues:
- Brunswick – 217 Village at Glynn Place; Brunswick, GA 31525
We understand how frustrating it is to be without the services you rely on, and we’re thankful for your patience during this challenging time. Our dedicated teams are working around the clock under difficult conditions, and we are incredibly proud of their relentless efforts to restore service as quickly as possible. While the process may take longer than we’d hoped, please know we are fully committed to getting you back online and connected as soon as we can. Thank you for your support.
Saturday, September 28 @ 1:15 p.m.
With more than 440,000 residents without power as of this afternoon, we are working closely with local utilities and officials to ensure our teams have access to areas once it is cleared and declared safe to enter. Once allowed, our tech experts will assess the damage and work to repair or replace our network and equipment to get connectivity to our customers as quickly as possible.
Network Update
Our emergency response teams made great progress in the past 48 hours, including storm surges proceeding landfall late Thursday with the restoration of 64% of our customers impacted by Helene.
Helene’s high-speed winds caused much destruction to trees and vegetation, which then damaged fiber lines in Greater Jacksonville. We have positioned construction, maintenance, and technicians across the area who are actively assessing damage to our network and readying equipment and materials to safely and quickly repair, rebuild, and restore service to our customers.
While our teams are working to get services back online, we have opened 105,000+ open hotspots in impacted areas of Florida for everyone, customer or not, to access. To learn how to get connected, please visit this page.
Our Emergency Response Teams
Our emergency response teams are being fortified by volunteer technicians from neighboring states, including Comcast’s Storm Team 1, some of our most experienced technicians in storm recovery and restoration. With more than 275 crews working in rotating shifts 24/7, they are working through the weekend to quickly and safely return services to our customers.
As power is still being restored, our teams are strategically positioning our fuel-based generators to power our network until commercial power has returned to our facilities. Additionally, our teams are responding to 300+ reports of downed lines and broken poles throughout Florida.
Xfinity Store Update
The following Xfinity store location is closed today due to power issues:
- Brunswick – 217 Village at Glynn Place; Brunswick, GA 31525
We appreciate your patience and understanding while our teams work to restore the services that mean so much to your life. The recovery and restoration phase can be longer than we would like, but please know that we are committed and dedicated to get you back online as quickly as possible
Friday, September 27 @ 6:00 p.m.
To further aid connectivity for residents and emergency personal in areas affected by Helene, Comcast has opened additional WiFi Hotspots in the greater Jacksonville area and in Southeast Georgia. In total, there are now over 105,000 open hotspots in Florida and Southeast Georgia which are free and available for everyone to use, including non-Xfinity customers. To learn how to get connected to one of the open hotspots, please see Wednesday’s update below or visit this page.
Friday, September 27 @ 11:00 a.m.
We hope you and your loved ones are safe. Hurricane Helene made landfall last night as a Category 4 storm, the strongest hurricane to ever strike Florida’s Big Bend. The impact from Helene is state-wide from direct storm damage to flash flooding and storm surges.
Open Xfinity WiFi Hotspots
To help with connectivity when it matters most, Comcast has opened all public Xfinity WiFi Hotspots in the Florida Panhandle and along the Gulf Coast. To learn how to get connected to one of the 52,000+ open hotspots, please see Wednesday’s update below or visit this page.
How to Report a Downed Line
Our teams were out early this morning to assess potential extreme wind and rain damage to our facilities and locate any broken poles and downed lines.
We urge our customers to please stay away from any downed lines. Any downed lines are considered live and dangerous until assessed by local authorities. To report a downed line, you can chat with an Xfinity Assistant through the Xfinity App or the Xfinity website.
Xfinity Store Locations
For the safety of our employees and customers, the following Xfinity store locations will be closed today:
- Port Charlotte – 1940 Tamiami Trail, Suite 101, Port Charlotte, FL 33948
- Brunswick – 217 Village at Glynn Place; Brunswick, GA 31525
The following Xfinity stores will have adjusted hours:
- Dothan – 557 South Oates Street; Dothan, AL 36301 – 12 p.m. delayed opening
- Tallahassee – 214-1 South Magnolia Drive; Tallahassee, FL 32301 – 12 p.m. delayed opening
- Bay City Point in Panama City 500 Hawkins Ave; Panama City, FL 32405 – 12 p.m. delayed opening
- Bradenton – 5231 University Parkway, Suite 115; Bradenton, FL 34201 – 2 p.m. delayed opening
- Venice – 1617 U.S. Hwy 41 By-Pass S; Venice, FL 34293 – 12 p.m. delayed opening
- Sarasota Pavilion – 6511 S Tamiami Trail; Sarasota, FL 34231 – 12 p.m. delayed opening
Restoring services after severe weather can be challenging. Our emergency response crews must wait until power is restored, flooding has subsided, and areas declared safe by local officials to begin repairs. We appreciate your patience as our crews safely and quickly work to return services to your homes and businesses.
Thursday, September 26 @ 2:00 p.m.
Hurricane Helene continues to move quickly and is expected to increase in intensity until it makes landfall this evening. Helene is predicted to make landfall in the Big Bend of Florida between 8PM – 11PM tonight as a Category 3 or Category 4 hurricane. Storm surge warnings are in place for much of Florida’s west coast and surging waters could reach as high as 20 feet in some areas.
How to Receive Comcast Text Alerts and Stay Informed
In advance of the storm, here is information on how to receive text message alerts regarding you Xfinity or Comcast Business service:
For Xfinity customers, first – make sure you’ve registered your mobile number in your account or check to see if you’ve opted-out of previous text alerts. Click here to learn more.
Once registered, you can use the following storm-related text commands anytime to instantly get information. Text any of the following commands to 266278 (COMCST).
- APP: Get links to download Xfinity apps.
- HELP: Get additional service information.
- OUT: Check for service outages.
- START: Resubscribe to Xfinity service text alerts.
- STOP: Unsubscribe from Xfinity text alerts.
Comcast Business customers can also receive text alerts by registering their mobile numbers in the preference center within the My Account section.
Additionally, you can follow Comcast on Facebook and Comcast Florida on X for local storm updates.
Comcast Prepares
Our emergency response teams have been preparing for Helene’s arrival. Our crews and supplies are ready to be safely deployed to any impacted areas. We have prepped more than 1,100 generators, which have been placed across the region to supply temporary power in anticipation of commercial electricity outages during recovery efforts.
Safety is our #1 priority for our customers, our employees and our communities. We urge everyone to be prepared and stay weather-aware of their surroundings. Please stay safe and know that our technicians, construction and maintenance crews are ready to respond when safe to do so.
Wednesday, September 25 @ 5:15 p.m.
To help residents and emergency personnel stay connected ahead of Helene, Comcast has opened 52,296 public Xfinity WiFi hotspots in areas it serves across Florida in Hurricane Helene’s potential path. The free and public hotspots are open for anyone to use, including non-Xfinity customers.
The Xfinity WiFi hotspot network is now open for all in the following counties:
| Bay | Lee |
| Charlotte | Leon |
| Citrus | Levy |
| Franklin | Madison |
| Gadsden | Manatee |
| Hamilton | Sarasota |
| Hillsborough | Suwannee |
| Jackson | Taylor |
| Jefferson | Wakulla |
| Lafayette | Walton |
| Washington | |
How to Get Connected
For a map of public Xfinity WiFi hotspots, which are located both indoors and outdoors in places such as shopping districts, parks, and businesses, visit Finder.wifi.xfinity.com.
To find the nearest hotspot location in your city, please search the WiFi Hotspot Map. Enter your zip code, zoom in on the interactive map to view the results, and click on the locations for details.
“Connectivity is critical, especially during a natural disaster. We know now is the time people want to stay in touch with family, friends and loved ones,” said Jeff Buzzelli, Senior Vice President for Comcast’s Florida Region. “We hope by opening tens of thousands of WiFi hotspots it will be easier for Floridians to stay connected in those impacted areas. This is a small way we can make a difference and support the communities we’re proud to serve.”
For assistance, customers can chat online with an agent, visit Xfinity.com/response or connect with Comcast on Twitter at @xfinitysupport.
Wednesday, September 25 @ 3:00 p.m.
Please stay safe, Florida. For the safety of our employees and customers, the following Xfinity store locations will be closed or have truncated hours of operation.
Store Closures
The following Xfinity store locations will be closed on Thursday, September 26:
- Bay City Point – Panama City, FL
- Bradenton, FL
- Dothan, AL
- Leesburg, FL
- Lady Lake, FL
- Port Charlotte, FL
- Sarasota Pavilion – Sarasota, FL
- Tallahassee, FL
- Venice, FL
The following Xfinity store locations will not open until 2 p.m. on Thursday, September 26:
- Cape Coral, FL
- Estero, FL
- Fort Myers, FL
- Naples North (10600 Tamiami Trail N #604), FL
- Naples South (12707 Tamiami Trail E), FL
To find additional stores near your area, please visit xfinity.com/local or use your Xfinity app for assistance.
Tuesday, September 24 @ 12:00 p.m.
We are monitoring Hurricane Helene and its potential impact on Florida and neighboring states. The National Hurricane Center declares that due to the large size of Helene, there is a danger of life-threatening storm surge along the entire west coast of the Florida Peninsula and the Florida Big Bend. Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin in these areas on Thursday, including devastating hurricane-force winds where the core of Helene moves inland. Hurricane and tropical storm warnings are in effect for much of that area. We urge anyone in Helene’s path to heed warnings by local officials.
Comcast is preparing crews across the state to respond in the event of service interruptions to our network. We encourage you and your family to stay weather-aware and follow your local news and local authorities for updates. Our response teams are actively analyzing weather reports, putting our emergency plans in place and ensuring our crews and supplies are ready to be safely deployed. The safety of our customers and our employees remains our top priority, and we’re here to keep you connected.
Stay Informed
In advance of the storm, here are some tips on staying up to date on your Xfinity or Comcast Business service:
- Text Alerts: Xfinity customers can receive text alerts about service interruptions by texting START to 266278 (COMCST). Comcast Business customers can also receive text alerts by registering their mobile numbers in the preference center within the My Account section.
- Xfinity & Comcast Business Apps: Xfinity and Comcast Business customers can get the latest status information by using their respective apps – Xfinity app and Comcast Business App.
- Social Media: Follow Comcast on Facebook and Comcast Florida on X for local storm updates.
For additional steps you can take to prepare for any emergency, please visit this page.
We will update this webpage with additional information as it becomes available.
