Telecom operators apologise over recent internet service hitches, say fixing ongoing 

Blessing Akorowosi

Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has sent an apology to the citizenry over glitches in the delivery of internet services lately.

ALTON hinted that the hitch experienced by users of different networks was caused by damage to multiple submarine cables along the West African Coast.

The telecommunications operators, however, assured that all hands are on deck to ensure that the fault is rectified

This was contained in a release signed by the Chairman of ALTON, Gbenga Adebayo and the executive secretary, Gbolahan Awonuga.

Speaking on the fault, the association stated that a combination of cable cuts, resulted in equipment faults on major undersea cables along the West African Coast.

It was reported that the issue negatively impacted data and fixed telecom services in several West Africa countries, including Nigeria, Ghana and Ivory Coast among others. The cuts occurred somewhere in Ivory Coast and Senegal, with an attendant disruption in Portugal.

Cable companies such as West African Cable System (WACS) and African Coast to Europe (ACE) in the West Coast route from Europe have experienced faults, while SAT3 and MainOne have downtime.

The release stated that the issue affected data and internet service delivery by some of its members.

“We highly regret any inconveniences caused by the damage to the submarine fibre optics cable on the international waterways.”