Undersea Fiber Cable Break Disrupts Service in Western Finnmark, Norway
A break in an undersea fiber optic cable is causing significant service disruptions in parts of Western Finnmark, Norway, impacting residents and businesses. GlobalConnect reports the network will be down until Tuesday afternoon. The outage is similarly affecting Telenor coverage in the region.
Impacted Areas and Services
Large portions of Western Finnmark are experiencing issues, including the areas of Kvalsund, Skaidi, Fægfjord, and Repparfjorddalen. The disruption affects fiber subscribers, mobile networks, and even road users. Reports indicate payment terminals are offline, and residents are unable to build calls or send SMS messages.
One resident reported needing to travel to Porsanger to regain mobile coverage, highlighting the extent of the disruption.
Investigation and Restoration Efforts
The police have initiated an investigation into the cable break, but currently, there is no indication of sabotage or intentional damage. The investigation is being conducted as a routine measure, according to operations manager Theodor Weberg-Ellingsen.
Emergency telephone services and the emergency network remain operational and unaffected by the cable break. Authorities are maintaining close communication with telecommunications providers, the State Administrator in Troms and Finnmark, and affected municipalities.
GlobalConnect has dispatched a cable ship to Hammerfest to begin repairs, with an estimated restoration time of Tuesday afternoon, assuming normal conditions. A temporary solution has been implemented for Skaidi, restoring service to that village, according to Telenor.
Cause of the Break
The cause of the fiber break remains unknown. GlobalConnect has located the affected area of the submarine cable but is still investigating the reason for the damage. The company has mobilized resources, including cable ships and specialized crews, to expedite the restoration process.
GlobalConnect’s press manager, Rikke Juul Rokkedal Therkildsen, apologized for the inconvenience caused by the outage.
Companies Involved
The affected area relies on networks owned by Telenor, Global Connect (previously Broadnet), and Altibox. Telenor’s largest shareholder is the Norwegian state, while Global Connect and Altibox are also key infrastructure providers in the region. Ice, Telenor, Funn, Telia, and GlobalConnect had previously qualified for a related auction, according to Nkom.