Go's underwater cable fault affects broadband

Go's internet services were interrupted last night after the fibre-optic submarine cable connected to Sicily developed a fault affecting thousands of users.

The "major fault", the second in four months, took place at about 6.30 p.m. and has affected broadband services.

The cause of the damage was not immediately known, but a spokesman for Go said it is probable that it could have been caused by a ship laying cables.

Go plc said voice traffic was restored within a short time but a spokesman for the company, late yesterday evening, could not state when the broadband service would be restored.

Go said it immediately initiated measures to start rectification of the fault via internationally-contracted parties specifically pre-assigned over the years to intervene in such circumstances.

Go said it has successfully rolled out its contingency plan in order to provide international voice backup service via a microwave link with Sicily. Moreover it said it is liaising with Vodafone for the utilisation of its international link as a contingency measure.

A spokesman for Go said Telecom Italia has confirmed that the fault in the cable has been localised underwater 120 kilometres of cable away from Catania. The submarine cable is 245 kilometres long between Catania and St George's Bay and does not run in a straight line.

Go apologised for the inconvenience caused and assured customers that it is doing its utmost to have the service restored to normal as early as possible.

Go (then Telemalta) was the first telecommunications company in Malta to set up an international submarine cable link to Sicily in 1995.

That cable - the same one which has developed the fault - is linked to the network of Italian provider Telecom Italia. It originates from St George's Bay and lands in Catania. Last August's fault was caused by trenching works on land in Sicily.

Malta is currently also served by a cable operated by Vodafone.

The Malta Communications Authority also noted the breakdown in the international connectivity link in a statement, late yesterday evening.