Days-long Telus outage leaves Calgary residents frustrated
Thieves cutting copper telecommunications wires has resulted in hundreds of Calgarians being without phone, internet or cable service for more than a week now, Telus says.
A Telus outage in Calgary has left hundreds of residents without cable, internet, and phone service for over a week. Chris and Laurie Softley, who returned from vacation to find their Wi-Fi down, explained that no one could provide them with an estimated repair time. The disruption stems from a surge in copper thefts, with Telus reporting a doubling of incidents in 2026 compared to the previous year.
These thefts often result in the cutting of nearby fiber cables, causing even more widespread service outages. Calgary Police Sgt. Nick Wilsher noted that these cables are vulnerable due to their accessibility, which affects not only telecommunications but also emergency communications, hospitals, agriculture, and irrigation systems.
The Softleys have been on day 11 with no internet access and have spent over 10 hours on the phone with Telus without a resolution. They express frustration, questioning how their neighbors who work from home will cope with the situation.
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