FPT Telecom general director, Nguyen Van Khoa, told Thanh Nien that repairs to the Asia-America Gateway Cable would not be completed until October 6.

Khoa added that technicians have identified the broken segment just off the coast of Hong Kong but have been unable to begin repairs due to Typhoon Kalmaegi which swept across the East Sea this week.

Vietnamese Internet service providers, FPT Telecom, VNPT, Viettel and SPT said that they are using backup cables to mitigate the effects of the break. However, access to international websites is noticeably slower than usual.

TechinAsia reports that these disruptions have both monetary and personal consequences for Vietnam:

“It’s no doubt that Vietnam’s internet cable being cut causes millions of dollars in losses in productivity for Vietnamese businesses across the country. This is especially impactful for companies that depend on a strong internet line to keep in touch with business partners abroad. But it also impacts everybody in Vietnam with an internet connection.”

While it’s admirable that 150-year-old technology is still relied upon today, perhaps telecoms should either seek out a more consistent solution given how often these breaks occur or build additional cables. 

[Photo via Gizmodo]