Tuesday 5 November 2024
 9.5°C   S Gentle Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

News / Cable break knocks out broadband for many

ENGINEERS are working to fix a break in a cable which has knocked out broadband connections for hundreds of islanders in Shetland.

 It is understood that a digger operator working for one of BT’s contractors accidentally dug up a fibre optic cable which runs between Maywick and the centre of Lerwick.

The cable – laid as part of Shetland Telecom’s SIC-aided plans to upgrade the isles’ broadband infrastructure – appears to have been dug up at around 10am on Tuesday morning.

Shetland Telecom described it as a “major break” which required a “complete replacement of a section of fibre”, and said it hoped the service would be restored before midday on Wednesday.

A Digital Scotland spokesman said: “Contractors working on the Digital Scotland project cut through a Shetland Telecom cable at Sandwick earlier today [Tuesday].

“The cable was not marked on their road maps and could not be seen in the road as it had recently been resurfaced, obscuring where the cable had been buried, some two-and-a-half inches under the surface.

“The contractors had liaised with the council prior to commencing the roadworks but were not made aware of this cable.”

The spokesman added that the contractors had helped Shetland Telecom to reconnect the cable, adding: “We don’t know how many people lost service but can confirm that BT’s network has not been affected.”

Become a member of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider paying for membership to get additional features and services: -

  • Remove non-local ads;
  • Bookmark posts to read later;
  • Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
  • Hide membership messages;
  • Comments open for discussion.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a member of Shetland News by either making a single payment, or setting up a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription.

 
Categories
Advertisement 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Have you considered becoming a member of Shetland News?

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please consider paying for membership and get the following features and services: -

  • Remove non-local ads;
  • Bookmark posts to read later;
  • Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
  • Hide membership messages;
  • Comments open for discussion.