French telecom networks hit by malicious sabotage affecting multiple operators, but Olympics remain unaffected
Several French regions experienced telecommunications problems after deliberate damage on the night of July 28. The cutting of fiber optic cables led to outages in six regions and affected several major French operators, including SFR and Free.
According to SFR, around 10,000 customers were affected by the damage, but a company spokesperson confirmed that the impact was minimal as the network is designed to redirect traffic.
According to Secretary of State for Digital Affairs Marina Ferrari, cutting the cable will only have ‘local consequences’. convicted labeled the attack as “cowardly and irresponsible.”
Reassured
While SFR did not confirm which parts of its cable network were targeted, it did say that the damage required an “axe or angle grinder” to inflict, which seems to confirm the deliberate nature of the destruction. The six regions affected were Meuse, Aude, Bouches-du-Rhône, Hérault, Oise and Drôme, with Paris unaffected.
It is unclear whether the attacks were intended to disrupt the Olympic Games in Paris, as this sabotage took place just days after the attack on the French high-speed rail network, which affected hundreds of thousands of passengers across the country.
Although no one has claimed responsibility for either attack, Paris police chief Laurent Nunez has confirmed There is a suspicion from far-left organizations, who note: “There is a modus operandi in that first attack that is reminiscent of the far-left.”
At the time of writing, no official link has been made between the two attacks. Due to the extensive knowledge required to carry out the rail attacks, Axel Persson, leader of the CGT rail union, insisted Authorities do not rule out ‘industrial espionage’.
Full telecommunications operations in the affected areas have yet to be fully restored, with teams being called out in the early hours of the morning to repair damaged cables. They have reportedly made progress in restoring service in four of the six affected regions – with work now underway on the final two.
France remains on high alert as the Paris Olympics pose unprecedented security risks, with more than 15 million tourists expected at the event, but French President Emmanuel Macron reassured participants, noting: “We are ready and we will be ready throughout the Games.”