Satellite internet is on the way after Arctic fiber cut unplugs part of Alaska

Satellite internet competitors OneWeb and SpaceX are in the running to reconnect Alaskans after ice damaged a sub-sea fiber-optic cable in the Arctic Ocean. While repairs are expected to take an additional six to eight weeks, satellites could help locals weather the widespread outage. Residents in the rural towns of Utqiaġvik, Point Hope, Wainwright, Kotzebue, Nome, and other communities found themselves without internet or cellular connectivity when the 1,200-mile fiber cable owned by the Alaska-based broadband company Quintillion suffered a break. Quintillion says the cable broke as “a result of an ice scouring event.” The outage has caused disruptions throughout the region, hampering 911 calls, closing businesses, and even impacting credit card transactions. While Quintillion says it’s working to get a repair vessel to the area, it could arrive as early as August 2023, depending on weather and ice conditions. In the meantime, Quintillion is looking to satellite connectivity to hold residents over.