Connectivity / Cable repair completed, Faroese Telecom says

However many local people affected by the broadband disruption say their connection has not yet been restored

28 October 2025 21:39

The Cable Vigilance has previously carried out repairs on the Shefa-2 cable. Photo: Ronnie Robertson.

FAREOSE Telecom says the repair to the damaged subsea telecoms cable off Orkney has now been completed.

However despite services apparently being restored tonight (Tuesday) some people in Shetland are reporting that their internet has not yet been reconnected.

It is also unclear what the situation is for those people who sought to change provider during the disruption but whose switch was delayed due to the cable fault.

People still having problems have been advised by Shetland Telecom to contact their providers for more information.

The fault on Faroese Telecom’s SHEFA-2 cable in shallow waters off Orkney occurred on Friday 3 October, leaving many in Shetland without broadband internet.

It is understood the cable may have been worn down by the elements.

It is said that the location of the fault made the operation tricky, with surveys needing to be carried out before any repair work could take place.

The fault saw broadband provision in Shetland for customers on some providers such as Vodafone, Sky and TalkTalk drop completely.

But some providers were unaffected, including those under the BT banner given that the company said it can access back-up cable.

It echoed similar disruption in July and August following damage to a different section to Faroese Telecom’s SHEFA-2 cable, which was caused by a fishing boat.

A number of internet providers are signed to regulator Ofcom’s automatic compensation scheme, which should see nearly £10 paid per day of no service after the first 48 hours.

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