Three internet cables have been cut after a ship accidentally dragged its anchor on the seabed in the UK waters. As a result, the internet connection through to the Channel Islands has been affected adversely and will continue to be so in Jersey until they get repaired.
What Internet Cables Service Providers Have to Say
Telecom giant JT confirmed sending engineers to the spot to repair the internet cables and help the public with the inconvenience. The company's official website made the matter public on Monday night where it described the whole event and the internet trouble they will be facing in the areas connecting the UK and Jersey.
JT, BT and Sure, the cable owners of that area, said that the internet speed will be slower because of the accident as the repairing of the cables will take around three weeks time. JT's corporate affairs director Daragh McDermott, however, confirmed that there is one internet cable to France that is still there but it would be slower than expected as it will make up for the others. He added that the crew are working on the damaged internet cables and are trying to solve the issue sooner.
Damage to Internet Cables to be Investigated
Jersey's coastguard said that the authorities will investigate the whole matter to find out if the ship left the anchor in any banned area. By banned area, he meant those areas with undersea internet cables that have instructions stating that no fish or anchor should be dropped there. Master Pilot Peter Moore claimed that the boat might have been the King Arthur that was anchored to the north of Alderney.
"With all traffic now using this connection, customers may notice some impact on services," McDermott said referring to the undersea internet cables as quoted by the BBC. "It is exceptionally unlucky and unprecedented for three submarine cables to the UK to be cut in the same day."
Meanwhile Jersey Treasury Minister Senator Alan Maclean said that if any particular service provider is responsible for the damage of the internet cables, the company involved will have pursue it. Maclean is a government shareholder for JT.
