Shaw working on temporary fix to internet, cable outage

Shaw Communications has been working non-stop to reconnect customers in Grand Forks, Christina Lake and the West Boundary since the company’s internet and cable services went down last Friday, the company said Tuesday, July 27.

Spokesperson Chethan Lakshman attributed the outage to the Nk’Mip Creek wildfire which he said “severely damaged” a fibre optic cable between Oliver and Grand Forks. Technicians remain on standby, waiting to be let into the area.

Cable networks are intact and fully functional in affected areas, but Lakshman said the damaged cable had been a crucial link.

“We are actively working on options to restore services as quickly as possible — this is our number-one priority and we have been working on this 24/7 since Friday evening,” Lakshman wrote in an email to The Gazette. The company is hoping to restore short-term connectivity through infrastructure networks in B.C. undamaged by the fire.

Shaw will repair the damaged Oliver-Grand Forks line as soon as they’re given the go-ahead by the BC Wildfire Service, Lakshman said.

Shaw has not said how many customers have been affected by the disruption.

@ltritsch1 laurie.tritschler@grandforksgazette.caLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.