Cable theft disrupts TELUS internet, cellular service in northwest B.C.

Cable theft disrupts TELUS internet, cellular service in northwest B.C.

Company says fallback coverage is available throughout the region

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TELUS says its internet, cellular, TV and phone services throughout northwest B.C. have been impacted once again due to damage inflicted on its infrastructure.

On its website the telecom company says the damage is cable theft, echoing a similar situation earlier this year.

"On Sunday afternoon, thieves intentionally cut TELUS cables in the Mount Hayes area along Highway 16, causing significant damage to our fibre lines and disrupting home phone, internet, TV and cell phone services for customers in many Northern B.C. communities," said TELUS in a written statement.

"TELUS crews quickly arrived at the site of the vandalism and have begun working to restore all services to our customers. Due to the extent of the damage caused, we do not have an estimated time of restoration."

The company says it's working closely with RCMP to investigate the alleged vandalism.

The company's website says the outage affects regions and municipalities from Fraser Lake to Terrace, including Smithers, Prince Rupert and Kitimat. It also affects Haida Gwaii and Bella Bella.

Vandals responsible for Telus outage across northwest B.C., company says

"Emergency Roaming has been activated to a significant portion of the communities impacted through an alternate carrier network to provide wireless support for restoring basic voice calls and messaging services," the company says on its website.

EmergencyInfoBC says 911 access is available through a wireless fallback system, which allows TELUS customers to connect through other carriers.

TELUS says customers who want to access the fallback service should make sure their mobile device network is set to automatic.

The outage started shortly after 1 p.m., according to TELUS.

Copper wire theft up by 78% over last year, Bell says

'Here in the North we're always ignored'

Baljinder Basra, CEO of Terrace-based cellular provider Everyday Computers and EV Mobile, told CBC News the outage affects everyone throughout the region because all service providers rely on TELUS infrastructure.

Basra says TELUS should make switching to fibre optic from copper in the region a priority given the circumstances.

"TELUS spent $2 billion upgrading their infrastructure and they did multiple lines between B.C. and Alberta in the Lower Mainland, but here in the North we're always ignored," he said.

Given the growth of industries like LNG in the region, Basra thinks TELUS should invest more to make its infrastructure more reliable — if not with fibre optic, then at least by adding a secondary transmission line.

Thieves take 1.3 kilometres of copper cable from Surrey manholes: B.C. Hydro

Copper theft is a widespread issue for telecommunication companies across Canada.

Thieves usually harvest copper wire from telephone and telecommunication poles because the recycled metal sells for a good price.

It's become more valuable as the world becomes more electrified — the buildout of data centres and making of electric cars for example have helped up demand.

Maryse Zeidler is an award-winning reporter with CBC British Columbia who covers news from Nanaimo and north Vancouver Island. You can reach her at maryse.zeidler@cbc.ca.