NORFOLK -- Verizon Communications spent hours Friday working to restore full-service to several areas of Hampton Roads.

Around Noon Friday, Verizon customers in the Courthouse, Pungo, Shipps Corner and Sanbridge areas of Virginia Beach, in addition to customers in the Great Bridge area of Chesapeake, noticed problems.

The issues also affect Franklin, Smithfield and Isle of Wight, according to Harry Mitchell, spokesman for Verizon Communications.

About 16,000 people were affected by the service issue, which was resolved around 3:30 p.m.

Mitchell said landline customers in the affected areas were able to call within their local exchange, but not outside of it for the duration of the repairs. Additionally, he said they were still able to call 911 in the event of an emergency.

This was an acception for customers in the Isle of Wight area, who may have experienced no dial tone and were unable to call out or be called.

Mitchell says the cause of the disruption was a fiber-optic line cut, which was repaired.