Several communities in Norway’s northernmost county of Finnmark were without either broadband or mobile phone coverage on Friday. An error in state-controlled Telenor’s mobile network was to blame.
“This can put people in danger, it’s unacceptable,” fumed the mayor of Gamvik in northeastern Finnmark, Trond Einar Olaussen of the Labour Party, to state broadcaster NRK. Communications for residents of Vardø, Kjøllefjord, Berlevåg and Båtsfjord were also cut.
It wasn’t the first time the network used by both Telenor and Telia was out of service. Bjørn Amundsen, director of coverage for Telenor, conceded that the situation was “serious” and that a crisis team was working to restore service. He said the reason for the breakdown in communication remained unknown late Friday afternoon.
newsinenglish.no staff
