Another subsea cable break has taken out internet across northern and western Alaska. The company behind the cable, Quintillion, said they’re exploring options to restore service.
Quintillion’s President, Mac McHale, confirmed the break Sunday morning. He said sea ice and darkness has made it impossible to find the exact location of the cut, but that it likely occurred in the Beaufort Sea.
Repairs to the subsea line would need to be performed by a specialized vessel, which McHale said isn’t an option until late summer.
Quintillion said they’re exploring other options to bring service back online. One is a terrestrial cable that would span more than 230 miles from Utqiaġvik to Deadhorse, where a landline to Fairbanks already exists.
McHale said the cable needed for such a route has already been purchased and is in Fairbanks waiting for installation. He called for support from the incoming Trump Administration to fast-track permit approvals.
"To expedite a repair, we will need the full force and support of the incoming Trump Administration, including cutting federal government red tape and eliminating bureaucratic obstacles that will stand between Quintillion and system restoration. The time for federal agencies to act is now," McHale said.
Quintillion’s Subsea Cable Network stretches from Prudhoe Bay to Nome with stops in Utqiaġvik, Wainwright, Point Hope, and Kotzebue along the way. Plans to expand the network south to Homer are underway, but are not expected to be operational until 2027.
