Broken sprinkler pipes, damaged gas lines and improperly buried cables are among the complaints from Billings residents as TDS and other telecommunications companies expand their fiber optic networks across Yellowstone County.
To hear some locals' stories, watch below:
The complaints are surfacing on social media, where one Facebook post in a Billings group drew hundreds of likes and more than 50 comments from residents sharing stories about fiber optic cables buried in their backyards that weren't properly buried.
Jamie Rindahl said a 2023 incident during installation work near her home struck a gas line, forcing her to leave.
"They went over to run everything underneath the sidewalk and hit a gas line... I ended up having to evacuate with my pets on a very hot day," said Rindahl.
Brenda Garza, who lives nearby, said her sprinkler lines were cut when fiber cables were installed in her backyard.
"When they had tried to bury it, they must have hit a sprinkler," said Garza.
TDS, the largest provider in Montana, responded to a request for comment with a statement.
"We work to ensure our crews and contractors follow all industry standards and local building codes," TDS said.
The company also said "the property owner is responsible for clearly marking any privately owned underground facilities."
The problem is not unique to Billings. Nationally, nearly one in four utility damage incidents are caused by fiber-optic installation, according to the Common Ground Alliance. The alliance, a nonprofit trade association dedicated to protecting underground utility infrastructure, added nearly 190,000 unique damage were reported in 2024. Fiber construction caused 23% of those reports, making it the second-highest cause of underground utility damage, according to the group.
Last April in Missouri, broadband contractors struck a gas line that wasn't properly marked. That led to a house exploding, killing a five-year-old boy.
In Billings, Garza said she believes the frequency of incidents points to a larger problem.
"I understand mistakes happen, but as frequently as I hear that these happen, you would think they would have a better system in place to avoid all of these sorts of situations."
For now, Garza said she plans to stay vigilant.
"Just be observant after the work is done as far as like your home and where they install the fiber."
