Phone and internet service restoration still a priority in P.E.I. after Fiona
Nine days after Hurricane Fiona battered Prince Edward Island, tens of thousands remain without power, but with so many downed lines, electricity isn’t the only thing that needs to be fixed.
Phone and internet connections have been severed for many as well. Just after the storm, many parts of the island were completely without service.
Restoration work has been going on since shortly after the storm passed. Some of that early work was focused on restoring power to cell towers.
Bell Canada's President and CEO joined other senior leaders in getting a first-hand look at the damage today.
“This is the largest hurricane to hit Canada,” said Glen LeBlanc, BCE and Bell Canada Chief Financial Officer and Vice Chair, Atlantic Canada. “I spoke to a technician here in P.E.I. today who’s been with us 47 years, and the extent of the damage is unprecedented.”
Some never lost cell service. The main tower in Charlottetown has a pair of emergency generators, and they power the core of Bell telecom infrastructure on the island in case of a power outage.
Without them, phone and internet from the Bell network would have been down for the whole island.
Spotty coverage in the network after the storm was caused mainly by a lack of power to 138 of the company’s 1,100 towers.
“At the height of the storm, we would’ve had materially more sites out because they lost power,” said LeBlanc. “The very first step is the restoration of power, so once we're cleared by the power corporation that it’s safe for our technicians to enter, they will begin starting generators, and that’s why cellular service comes up fairly rapidly.”
There are still about 49 towers damaged by the storm which aren’t yet at 100 per cent, mainly sustaining damage to the antenna or fibre optic cables at the sites.
The major bottleneck in phone and internet restoration now is power restoration. Trees need to be cleared and line crews need to assess and repair damage before telecommunications workers can start their jobs.
“The fact that we were able to bring as many people back online as fast as we had is remarkable,” said LeBlanc. “Again, thanks to our people.”
At the supper hour, 20,000 homes and businesses on P.E.I. were still without electricity.
The majority of those are expected to have power back by Monday night, but some with significant damage will be out even longer.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.