Nassau, Bahamas – (October 1st 2013) BTC has advised that landline, internet and cellular services are patchy at best in the Northern Bahamas due to the ongoing repairs to the badly damaged Bahamas Domestic Submarine Network International Cable (II/BDSNi).

A freighter anchored incorrectly in the 8 Mile Rock Harbour on September 16th damaged the vital telecommunications link. BTC engineers were able to restore certain service points by routing calls and data on alternative routes within the BTC network, but now that the heavy-duty repair and replacement work to the underwater cable is in progress, services are intermittent, particularly on Grand Bahama, Abaco, Bimini and Andros.

Additionally, some degradation is being experienced to SMS (text messaging) service on New Providence.  BTC projects a best case scenario is service resumption by days-end, October 1st.  and meanwhile apologizes for the disruption. Further updates will be issued as they are received from the repair engineers.

Gun shots damage BTC fibre optic cables in South Andros – BTC outage due to Pigeon Hunters

BTC landline, internet and cell services have been knocked-out by pigeon hunters who shot through the fibre optic cable that carries all of the communication capabilities to settlements at the end of South Andros, primarily Mars Bay and a neighbouring settlement. Parts of North Andros also suffered BTC outages a few weeks ago also to gun shooting pigeon hunters.

A BTC emergency repair team is flying in to assess and repair the damage. An estimated time for service delivery will be released once an assessment is complete.

BTC reminds the public that damaging private or company property is a felony punishable in a court of law. Anyone caught damaging property can be arrested and charged. Anyone seeing or knowing of property destruction or damage by pigeon shooting, copper thefts or other activities is advised to call the Police.

Kendrick Knowles senior manager for Family Island field operations advises pigeon hunters not to shoot at birds perched on the communication cables or power lines.