Wait goes on for broadband users as inspection only planned for next week
THE WAIT continues for those in Shetland who have been left without broadband internet for a week following damage to a subsea cable last Friday.
Faroese Telecom say it will only be next week before an initial inspection of the area off Orkney can take place.
This is required before any repair work can start.
The fault on the cable in shallow waters between Orkney and Shetland occurred last Friday (3 October) afternoon.
It saw broadband provision in Shetland for customers on some providers such as Vodafone, Sky and TalkTalk drop completely.
It echoed similar disruption in July and August following damage to a different section to Faroese Telecom’s SHEFA-2 cable, thought then to have been caused by a fishing boat.
In update to Shetland News on Friday, Faroese Telecom managing director Páll Højgaard Vesturbú said: “Progress continues, though we recognise that necessary inspection work means the repair will take longer than initially expected.
“Due to the rocky seabed near the fault location, an inspection of the area and the existing cable route is required.
“The inspection cannot take place until next week.
“All preparations are being made for the installation of a new shore-end, which will follow once the survey has been completed.”
The vessel Cable Vigilance, which has fixed damaged cable off the Northern Isles before, will be undertaking the repair.
It has been based in France over recent days, but those watching on tracking websites like Marine Traffic will have seen it head out to sea this morning (Friday).
However, Vesturbú said the ship was only out for sea trials, and has since returned to port in Calais.
Meanwhile Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart has called on Transport Scotland to extend the 13 October deadline for responses to its Northern Isles ferry service contract consultation due to the ongoing disruption.
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“The consultation has been open for a number of weeks though for many of those weeks island residents have had disrupted internet access impacting the chance for everyone to have their say,” she said.
“It would be hugely unfair if those who wished to have their say were unable due to internet disruption outwith their control.
“I would urge anyone interested to take part in this important consultation. I fear the Scottish Government will use a lack of engagement as an excuse not to implement the changes on the service passengers have been crying out for.”
A number of other internet providers are unaffected, including local services and those under the BT umbrella – BT, EE and Plusnet.
BT said its services are unaffected because it uses a back-up cable, which is “operating well and maintaining service for all of our customers on the islands”.
There are reports of many local customers of providers like Vodafone and Sky ordering switches following the disruption.
However this does not happen quickly, with some being told their switch date could be a fortnight away.
There are also instances of people waiting for routers being sent by their new provider because they are held up in the postal/courier system down south.
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