Western alaska internet outage

Repairs to a fiber optic data cable suppling nearly all of Western Alaska are underway, though a full restoration of internet and some cell service could take up to two months.

Repairs are complete to a severed fiber optic cable affecting internet and cellphone service in much of Northern and Western Alaska. GCI announced the repairs in an email to customers Monday, 14 weeks after the cable was cut in an ice scouring event in the Arctic Ocean west of Prudhoe Bay. Many people in the affected regions experienced spotty internet and cell service and, at times, no internet connectivity at all. The company that built and owns the cable, Quintillion, originally anticipated service would be restored in eight weeks, but that timeline slipped several times. But GCI spokeswoman Heather Handyside said the company is beginning to transfer customers back to the faster fiber-optic service that connects to the Quintillion cable. Handyside said GCI will be monitoring the network throughout the week.

Western alaska internet outage

Repairs to a damaged fiber optic cable affecting internet and cellular services to much of Western Alaska will now take longer than initially anticipated, according to Alaska-based communications company Quintillion. The original timeline of six to eight weeks for restoring services is now nine to 11 weeks. The company plans to begin repair operations Aug. In a statement published July 14, Quintillion said a repair vessel would be in the North Slope community of Wainwright by the middle of August on standby for when the ice opened up. McHale said ice forecasts are moving out quicker than expected and the vessel will be mobilized over the weekend and will then go north. He said ice will likely open the first and second weeks of August, with repairs expected to take up to a week. In early June, the company announced the sub-sea outage was a result of an ice scouring event, located just over 34 miles north of Oliktok Point. McHale said that the cable break was the first outage since the subsea cable went live in December , and that the company is working to improve how the cable is buried. McHale said Quintillion is looking at securing a bypass route that would create a ring between Fairbanks and Homer to prevent another outage from happening in the future. McHale said they started communication right after the break to contact their customers directly.

The company that built and owns the cable, Quintillion, originally anticipated service would be restored in eight weeks, but that timeline slipped several times.

Repairs to a damaged fiber optic cable affecting internet and cellular services to much of Western Alaska will now take longer than initially anticipated, according to Alaska-based communications company Quintillion. The original timeline of weeks for restoring services is now weeks. The company plans to begin repair operations Aug. In a statement published July 14, Quintillion said a repair vessel would be in the North Slope community of Wainwright by the middle of August on standby for when the ice opened up. It looks like right now that the ice is cooperating with us, and moving as expected, in some cases, even faster than expected. McHale says ice forecasts are moving out quicker than expected and the vessel will be mobilized over the weekend and will then go north. He says ice will likely open the first and second weeks of August, with repairs expected to take up to a week.

Repairs to a fiber optic data cable suppling nearly all of Western Alaska are underway, though a full restoration of internet and some cell service could take up to two months. According to a statement Monday from Quintillion, service on the subsea fiber optic network was interrupted over the weekend after a fiber cut caused a system-wide outage. Initial assessments indicate an offshore cut north of Oliktok Point, near Prudhoe Bay. McHale says heavy ice is the likely cause of the cut. KNOM is our partner station in Nome. KTOO collaborates with partners across the state to cover important news and to share stories with our audiences.

Western alaska internet outage

Residents in North Slope and Northwest Alaska communities have been experiencing internet and cellphone outages this week after a fiber-optic undersea cable was cut, likely by ice. He deferred to individual service providers in those communities for exact figures on affected customers. According to McHale, the subsea cable was cut roughly 34 to 36 miles north of Oliktok Point, northwest of Deadhorse. It happened in waters about 90 feet deep. Parts of the cable near the cut are buried as deep as 10 feet beneath the seafloor, McHale said, a design feature intended to protect it from the elements. Chris Klint is a web producer and breaking news reporter at Alaska Public Media.

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Breaking news. The company plans to begin repair operations Aug. Quintillion initially estimated the break could result in a six to eight-week outage. True Detective. McHale says that the cable break in early June was the first outage since the subsea cable went live in December of , and that the company is working to improve how the cable is buried. This month we will celebrate the most sacred days of the year. Michael McHale is the president of Quintillion. Alaska Public Media. Ben Townsend photo Ben. Initial assessments indicate an offshore cut north of Oliktok Point, near Prudhoe Bay. Subscribe to notifications.

Repairs are complete to a severed fiber optic cable affecting internet and cellular services to much of Northern and Western Alaska. GCI announced the repairs in an email to customers yesterday Mon , 14 weeks after the cable was cut in an ice scouring event in the Arctic Ocean west of Prudhoe Bay. Many people in the affected regions experienced spotty internet and cellular services, and at times, no internet connectivity at all.

Password recovery. Dallas Seavey wins record-breaking sixth Iditarod. Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content Skip to primary sidebar Skip to footer Share:. Breaking news. Accessibility Commitment. Site notifications Update notification options. Northern Alaska cable break repaired after 14 weeks of internet outages September 19, GCI announced the repairs in an email to customers Monday, 14 weeks after the cable was cut in an ice scouring event in the Arctic Ocean west of Prudhoe Bay. Some residents have opted to order Starlink internet, a satellite internet provider, while others have adjusted to the changes. The company has been posting updates on several of their social media outlets, although many affected by the break are having trouble viewing the online updates. He said ice will likely open the first and second weeks of August, with repairs expected to take up to a week. A pair of ships are being used to aid in the repair. Southeast Alaska.