Quakes disrupt phone, Internet service in Asia

Two strong earthquakes off the coast of Taiwan damaged undersea communications cables, disrupting phone and Internet service in Asia on Wednesday.

The earthquakes hit late Tuesday on the second anniversary of the tsunami that killed thousands in South Asia on December 26, 2004. No large waves materialised from the earthquakes in Taiwan, but the area was on a tsunami alert. Two people were killed as a result of the earthquakes when a building collapsed, according to news reports.

The quakes were among the most powerful in Taiwan in recent years, knocking out two of seven undersea cables that are used by telecommunications companies to route phone calls and Internet traffic to and from East Asia. Although traffic that normally traverses these cables has been rerouted to other cables, traffic is congested, which has led to the disruption in service.

In Taiwan, Chunghwa Telecom, the country's largest phone operator, told news agencies that it had lost between 40 percent and 60 percent of its capacity for international calling to places such as the U.S. The company also said that capacity to Japan and China was also affected.

Chungwa also said that Internet access had been damaged in China, Hong Kong and Singapore. The company said it could take up to three weeks to repair the damaged cables.

Like this article? Click below to send it to your mobile for free!

Advertisement

Talkback 1 comments

  1. Digital Disconnect Catastrophe Marilee Veniegas, Essential Security Software -- 29/12/06

    For those with businesses which are completely web based, natural catastrophes like this can bring down a company's whole operation. Here in the Pacific NW, we had a terrible wind storm (speeds of Hurricane velocity) which left a significant portion of the state of Washington without power and all other manner of a digitized lifestyle. I wish the best for those and their families affected as well as the businesses who rely on these high-speed connections.


Sponsored content

Power Centre - Content from our premier sponsors

Blogs

  • Alex Serpo Is green IT a marketing fad?
    It seems that green IT has dropped off the radar, with other technology issues moving to the fore. But was green IT ever a real technology movement, or was it just a marketing fad?
  • Array Gutless studios have the wrong target
    I have one word for the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT). Gutless.
  • Array NBN needs workers on board
    Without consensus on labour issues, the eventual winner of the NBN may end up as little more than a lame duck and a cashed-up symbol of the conflict between the desire for progress and the lack of mechanisms to deliver it.
  • More blogs »

Tags

Back to top

Featured