Summary

  • Internet cables cut overnight 'could lead to slower broadband'

  • Toddler death case adjourned

  • Care home evacuated after bin fire

  • Guernsey Holocaust 'impact' curriculum being created

  • Means-testing for nursery education delayed

  • Police hunt island chicken thief

  • Updates on Tuesday 29 November 2016

Live Reporting

  1. Sure's off-island calls affected by cable damage

    Chris Quevatre
    BBC News Online

    Network provider Sure has confirmed that the severing of undersea cables is only affecting off-island voice calls, and that their internet and mobile services are unaffected.

    They say they're working with BT and JT - with whom they are joint system owners - to organise emergency repairs to the undersea cables.

    Our engineering teams worked through the night to put in place measures to divert our voice traffic through the HUGO network as well as to provide specialist technical support and infrastructure to JT, who had all direct UK submarine cables severed, impacting a number of JT’s services. Sure continues to support JT with re-routing their consumer and business traffic via Sure’s HUGO network.

    Eddie Saints, Chief Executive of Sure

    Eddie Saints

  2. Travel update: Rue de la Vielle Mare reopens

    BBC Travel

    The Rue de la Vieille Mare in the Castel has reopened this afternoon

  3. Cable damage: What we know so far

    Chris Quevatre
    BBC News Online

    • Three of Jersey Telecoms' four cables that provide the island with telecoms, data and internet services were damaged yesterday in an "unprecedented" event - thought to be caused by a ship dragging its anchor along the seabed
    • Cables were cut "one after another" - possibly as a ship made it's way through the Channel - with the first one severed at 16:00 yesterday
    • Services are now being provided through a fourth link that connects the islands to France
    • Limited bandwidth on the fourth cable means Jersey Telecoms customers may experience service disruption on off-island calls and data transfers
    • Customers of Sure are largely unaffected other than off-island voice calls, which will be disrupted
    • JT, Sure and British Telecoms are organising emergency repairs to the damaged undersea cables
    • Repairs could take up to three weeks

  4. Boat to be investigated over anchor drop location
    Breaking

    Ryan Morrison
    BBC News Online

    The boat which is thought to have damaged undersea telecom cables will be investigated to see if it dropped anchor in a banned area, according to Jersey's coastguard. 

    Master Pilot Peter Moore says the boat, believed to be the King Arthur, anchored north of Alderney yesterday evening to avoid being taken onto rocks in the dark.

    He says there are several undersea cables marked on the charts in that area with clear instructions not to fish or drop anchor. Master Moore says it is still unclear where the King Arthur dropped anchor but there would be an investigation to find out.

    The BBC has approached the owners of the King Arthur, Mediterranea di Navigazione for comment.

  5. Minister defends confiscation of Mr Bronx

    BBC Radio Jersey

    Jersey's Home Affairs minister says officers are working quickly to decide what will happen to a pet dog a court has ruled is a banned pit bull type breed.

    The dog, called Mr Bronx, is currently at the island's animal shelter while his future is being considered.

    Speaking in the States Assembly, Deputy Kristina Moore said it was a complicated case but explained why the dog was seized some months after it had first been allowed into the island from France when it was a puppy.

    It's my understanding that's it's not possible to positively identify some specific breeds of dog until they reach at least 8 months of age, and so that also poses some level of difficulty identifying breeds."

    Deputy Kristina Moore, Home Affairs Minister

    Mr BronxJason Gomes

  6. Cable repair will take 'up to three weeks'
    Breaking

    Chris Quevatre
    BBC News Online

    The repair of undersea cables that were severed by a ship last night will take up to three weeks, according to network provider Sure.

  7. Travel update: Braye Road reopens

    BBC Travel

    Braye Road, which was one-way from crossways traffic lights to Braye Road industrial estate, is now open to traffic in both directions.

  8. Retailers yet to notice connectivity problems

    Oscar Pearson
    BBC Radio Guernsey

    Following the news that three fibre-optic cables were cut last night, I've been out in Guernsey to see if any shops have experienced problems with their internet services. 

    But it seems like St Peter Port, at least, is coping well.

    High street in St Peter Port

    Soundtrack manager Paul Dodd told me: "I've heard the line's been damaged so there might be disruptions in communications, but so far we haven't had any problems. If something goes wrong, say, to the phone lines, there's not a huge amount we'll be able to do."

    And his comments are very reflective of other shop bosses across St Peter Port.

  10. Biggest impact of cable cut will be 'during peak periods'

    Ryan Morrison
    BBC News Online

    The biggest impact of the three internet cables being cut will be felt during peak periods, including early evening, according to telecom company JT.

    Daragh McDermott from the firm said: "We have worked hard over night and have increased the bandwidth that we have. 

    PhoneAP

    "Customers will see some disruption to services in terms of slower speeds, performance or having to try a number of times to secure a particular source of data or particular channel. 

    "At peak times what you will see is congestion, it is trying to get more traffic than the bandwidth that is available. It will be treated on a first come first service basis and the rest will be put on hold until there is space available."

  11. 'Lack of capital projects could see big firms leave'

    Chris Quevatre
    BBC News Online

    The owner of an agency supplying builders is warning employers could abandon the island if Guernsey's big construction projects don't materialise soon.

    Guernsey's construction industry shrank by more than 6% last year - but many hope redevelopments at Admiral Park, Leale's Yard and possibly La Mare de Carteret can help.

    Leale's YardChannel Islands Cooperative Society

    The development at Leale's Yard took years to be finalised and approved

    Ross Le Brun, who runs Labour Force Guernsey, is not sure local construction workers can wait that long, and says companies are already feeling the impact of what's been described as a three-year drought.

  12. Toddler death case adjourned

    Chris Quevatre
    BBC News Online

    The case of a motorist charged with causing the death of a toddler by dangerous driving is to be heard by Jersey's Royal Court.

    Rebekah le Gal, 38, wasn't in the magistrates court this morning but her case was adjourned until Tuesday 20 December when it will be sent to the higher court.

    Clinton Pringle, 3, died near the Millennium Park in June.

    Scene of the crime

  13. JT cables 'dropped one after the other'

    Ryan Morrison
    BBC News Online

    A ship dragging its anchor on the seabed in the English Channel is the likely cause of a number of internet problems in the Channel Islands.

    JT have three cables going between Jersey and the UK and Daragh McDermott from the company said the first was cut at about 16:00 yesterday with the last going a few hours later.

    Daragh McDermott from JT on the ship that cut the internet cables.

  14. Is the severed cable link affecting you?

    Facebook

    The big story of the day for the Channel Islands is that three of the four undersea cables that provide telecoms, internet and data services have been severed - thought to be caused by a ship dragging its anchor on the seabed. 

    Services have been affected in different ways, but here's what you've been saying on Facebook...

    James: Welcome to island life...

    Alex: Better not affect my post-exam call of duty session    

    Barry: Does that mean people will actually have to talk to each other instead of sitting round with their noses pressed to the screen?

    A scary thought Barry, a scary thought indeed...

  16. Guernsey Holocaust 'impact' curriculum being created

    Chris Quevatre
    BBC News Online

    The impact of the Holocaust will be taught in schools in the only part of the British Isles from which Jews were deported and later died in Auschwitz.

    Marianne Grunfeld, Auguste Spitz and Therese Steiner were deported from Guernsey, which was occupied by German forces, to France in April 1942.

    Holocaust memorial

    They were among Jews picked up by the Nazis and sent to the concentration camp in July the same year.

    Guernsey's government is working on a curriculum to start in September 2017.

  17. Travel update: Grand Bouet reopens

    BBC Travel

    Guernsey

    • The Grand Bouet has now reopened
    • Camp du Moulin is closed - there's a no entry sign at the southern end of the Couture diverting traffic up Longue Rue
    • The Rue de la Vielle Mare is closed between La Rocquette and La Houguette Road
    • Monument Road is closed - motorists are asked to let drivers out of Arsenal Road to help ease traffic build up
    • And Grand Maison Road in St Sampson's is closed until the middle of December for road resurfacing

    Jersey

    • There are temporary traffic lights in St Peter's Valley between Mont Fallu and Tesson Mill
    • In Grouville there are temporary traffic lights in operation on La Rue a Don outside Grouville Parish Church
    • Mahaut Street in St Ouen is closed until Thursday for excavation works
    • There's a routine investigation of a number of approach roads in and around St Helier harbours - there'll be stop and go boards at the New North Quay, Albert Pier and Victoria Pier from 07:00 until 16:00

  18. Sure customers likely to face issues with 'off-island calls'

    Ryan Morrison
    BBC News Online

    Telecoms company Sure says its customers are likely to face problems with off-island calls after a number of telecom lines were cut overnight.

    Using a computerPA

    A ship dragging its anchor on the seabed is the suspected cause of the break.

    A Sure spokesman said: "Overnight we have rerouted the majority of our traffic and will complete the rerouting this morning. However there are still likely to be some issues and delays with off-island calls."

  19. Storm Angus creates tree domino effect

    Guernsey Press

    A domino effect has hit the island’s trees during Storm Angus and its aftermath, Treevolution owner Chris Stonebridge has said.

  20. BBC Weather Watchers: Cloudless St Helier

    BBC Weather Watchers

    Whoever "bestbirdinggal" is, they've clearly managed to keep their data services up and running as they've posted this pic of a cloudless sky over St Helier this morning...

    Weather watcher pic

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