Fiber Optic Fiasco: Finland Hit by Widespread Outage

A damaged fiber optic cable has caused a major outage in Finland, disrupting internet and communication services across the country.

A damaged fiber optic cable on land in Finland has been discovered, according to Swedish media and the company working to repair it. The cable, which connects Sweden and Finland, was reportedly broken, causing disruptions to internet and communication services.

The company affected by the damaged cable, Global Connect, stated that approximately 6,000 private customers and around 100 business customers were impacted by the rupture, as reported by Swedish national broadcaster Sveriges Radio. Finnish Transport and Communications Minister Lulu Ranne posted on X that “authorities are investigating the matter together with the company.” Ranne emphasized, “We are taking the situation seriously.”

Finnish police have announced that there will be no “criminal” inquiry into the matter for the time being. However, Swedish Civil Defense Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin suspected foul play, stating in a message to the news agency AFP that “sabotage” was suspected. This development has raised concerns about the potential for intentional disruptions to critical infrastructure.

This week's fiber optic cable breach in Finland follows a series of recent incidents, including the damage to two undersea fiber optic communications cables in the Baltic Sea. The severed cables, located over 100 nautical miles apart, raised suspicions of sabotage, prompting an investigation.

The Baltic Sea incident led Sweden to request cooperation from Beijing in the probe. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that he believed the cables were likely damaged in an act of sabotage. However, Russia dismissed claims of their involvement as “absurd” and “laughable.” The damaged cables were restored by November 29.

The incidents have sparked concerns due to their proximity to the Nord Stream pipelines, which were damaged in underwater explosions in September 2022. The Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipelines were rendered inoperable, occurring seven months after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The countries bordering the Baltic Sea, including eight NATO nations and Russia, are on high alert following these incidents.