Blundering workmen cut major Docklands fibre
O2, Be Broadband network slowed
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Workmen in London's Docklands sliced through a major fibre optic trunk yesterday, forcing businesses and ISPs nationwide to reroute internet traffic.
Contractors in Yeo Street broke the link, owned by tier one provider Global Crossing, early on Wednesday afternoon.
The O2 and Be Broadband network was the highest profile casualty. Customers noticed slower speeds as the the remaining backup connections struggled to carry all the traffic.
A Be Broadband spokesman said at 1pm today that its services were almost back to normal. The firm expects repair work to be completed in time for this evening's peak network load.
Connexions4London also reported major problems.
Several key parts of UK internet infrastructure are located in Docklands, including ISP peering points, data centres and international backbone links. Global Crossing's press representatives couldn't be reached. ®
COMMENTS
Plans? We don't need no plans!
Plans say "dig over there, that's where you are supposed to put the cable."
Workmen say "That ground's too rocky but there's clay this side of the street. We'll stick it in over here, nobody will ever know the difference."
Proof? Bundles of cables and pipes in the right place, just a few in the wrong place... not necessarily in this instance (was it?) but just look down practically any street in our sceptic isle.
Danger! Fsckwits at work!
The old Q diagnostic center would have been nicd to use on this
But too bad they were bought out and the lead programmer for the network tool still owes me $7.
Predicting this kind of network downtime is impossible.
@Dick Lovewell
Damn right. I've come across several instances where major cables and fibres have been cut by workmen because their presence simply wasn't documented. You can't blame the workmen for digging through a fibre if nobody told them it was there.
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