The Verge by Emma Roth 6/23/2023
The region could be without internet for six to eight weeks.Satellite internet competitors OneWeb and SpaceX are in the running to reconnect Alaskans after ice damaged a sub-sea fiber-optic cable in the Arctic Ocean, as reported by numerous local outlets. While repairs are expected to take an additional six to eight weeks, satellites could help locals weather the widespread outage.
Last week, residents in the rural towns of Utqiaġvik, Point Hope, Wainwright, Kotzebue, Nome, and other communities found themselves without internet or cellular connectivity when the 1,200-mile fiber cable owned by the Alaska-based broadband company Quintillion suffered a break. Quintillion says the cable broke as “a result of an ice scouring event.”
“Our sub-sea system is currently out of service,” Quintillion states. “Our dedicated team of experts is actively engaged in diagnosing and resolving the issue. They are working in coordination with our partners and undersea cable maintenance teams to restore the services at the earliest possible time.”
More:
https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/23/23771194/alaska-internet-quintillion-fiber-cable-satellites-oneweb
