Fiber Network Break Causes Alaska Outage

Residents across several northern Alaska communities experienced disruptions to cell and internet service on Tuesday following another break in a key fiber optic cable. The outage began after 11 p.m. Monday, impacting a wide range of providers and customers.

Outage Details and Affected Areas

The breakage occurred between Oliktok Point and the Greater Kuparuk Area, approximately 40 miles west of Prudhoe Bay, according to Quintillion President Michael “Mac” McHale. This affected all of Quintillion’s markets, a crucial infrastructure provider for the region.

Impact on Telecom Providers

Several major telecom companies rely on Quintillion’s fiber network, including Alaska Communications, GCI, AT&T, OTZ Telecommunications, and the Arctic Slope Telephone Association Cooperative. The disruption cascaded to customers of these providers.

Cause and Temporary Restoration

Quintillion’s team determined the fiber break was caused by environmental conditions within the Kuparuk River oil-and-gas operating area. George Tronsrue, CEO of Quintillion, confirmed the initial outage.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Quintillion successfully reconfigured the network to temporarily restore service. Michael “Mac” McHale stated the company is continuing permanent repair work to prevent future outages.

Specific Community Impacts

  • GCI: Customers in Nome, Kotzebue, Utqiagvik, and Wainwright experienced slower internet and wireless service. The company transitioned services to backup infrastructure.
  • ASTAC: Customers in Atqasuk, Point Hope, Utqiagvik, and Wainwright faced a complete outage of internet, cellular, and long-distance services.
  • OTZ Telecommunications: Approximately 200 customers experienced internet issues, though calling and texting services were maintained via satellite backup.
  • North Slope Borough: Reported a widespread fiber issue affecting phone and internet service.
  • Kotzebue: Experienced a temporary outage of 911 service for AT&T phones.

Ongoing Repairs

The timeline for a permanent fix remains unclear, but Quintillion is prioritizing repairs to ensure continued service reliability. Kelly Williams, CEO of OTZ Telecommunications, noted that while residential internet was down, calling services were restored through satellite connections.