Damaged cable leaves some Hong Kong Telecom customers without internet, mobile services
- Telecoms firm says cable at a construction site in Kowloon damaged by third party but affected services had resumed normal operation
Some Hong Kong Telecom (HKT) customers have been left without internet, mobile and television services because of damage to an underground cable in Kowloon.
The telecoms operator later said at about 11pm on Tuesday that all affected services had resumed normal operation.
The Highways Department received a report from the contractor responsible for the Central Kowloon Route – Yau Ma Tei East at about 11am that it had damaged an underground optical fibre cable “by accident” while carrying out tunnel construction works.
“No person was injured in the incident, and the contractor immediately notified the telecommunications company of the incident,” a spokesman said. “The Highways Department is following up the case with the telecommunications company, and the cause of the incident is yet to be determined.”
The department also apologised for the inconvenience caused to members of the public, saying that it had demanded the contractor carry out a thorough investigation and take necessary steps to avoid similar incidents from recurring.
The Office of the Communications Authority said it also received a report from HKT about the damage near Jordan station at about noon on Tuesday.
HKT said on its Facebook page in the afternoon that a fibre cable at a construction site near Tsim Sha Tsui and Jordan had been damaged by a third party and emergency repairs were under way.