Attempted copper theft to blame for Calgary internet service outage, Rogers says
A spokesperson for Rogers says the interruption happened just before 3 a.m., and is part of a 'troubling rise' in vandalism and attempted theft.
An attempted copper theft is to blame for a widespread internet service outage affecting some Calgary customers on Monday morning, according to telecommunications company Rogers. The interruption occurred just before 3 a.m., part of a troubling rise in vandalism and theft targeting the company's network infrastructure across Canada.
The theft caused significant damage and interrupted internet, TV, and home phone services for affected customers in various Calgary neighborhoods. Calgary police were alerted around 6:20 a.m., but the actual incident had happened earlier in an alley on Erlton Street Southwest. Rogers has dispatched six crews and over 20 technicians to repair the extensive damage and restore services.
The outage impacted customers in Southeast and Southwest Calgary, including areas like Elboya, Manchester Industrial, Burns Industrial, Erlton, Bonnybrook, Mills Estate, Inglewood, Dover, Erin Woods, Eastfield, Golden Triangle, Lynnwood, and Foothills. Business owner Edy Ukbakha at Edy Hair Planet Barber Shop, located in Manchester Industrial, considered closing due to the crucial role internet connectivity plays in his operations.
Carmi Levy, a technology analyst, emphasizes the growing reliance on the internet for communication, entertainment, and business, urging Canadians to consider the consequences of being overly dependent on technology. Rogers expects to restore services to customers later that evening and anticipates the resolution by 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning.
The company calls for the federal government to address network tampering acts and welcomes amendments in Bill C-14 to combat copper theft and associated crimes.
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