Telecom services impacted by acts of vandalism amid Olympic events in France
In Short:
- Vandalism affects fiber, fixed, and mobile phone services across France.
- Telecom operators Bouygues and Free confirm disruptions.
- Damage reported in several regions including Marseille and Paris.
- Authorities and repair teams working to restore services.
- Previous arson attacks disrupted train networks before the Olympics opening ceremony.
The French government announced that multiple telecommunications lines, including fiber and both fixed and mobile phone services, have been disrupted by acts of vandalism. This disruption comes as France hosts the Paris Olympics 2024, impacting services in several cities.
Telecom operators Bouygues and Free confirmed that their services were affected. French media also reported damage to lines operated by SFR. However, the full impact, including any effects on Olympic activities, is still being assessed.
Marina Ferrari, the Secretary of State in charge of digital affairs, revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that the damage occurred overnight from Sunday to Monday across several regions. She condemned these actions and thanked the teams working to repair the infrastructure.
A police official told AP that at least six administrative departments, including the Marseille region (hosting Olympic soccer and sailing events), were affected. Local media reports suggest deliberate damage to cables in electrical cabinets in southern France and other acts of vandalism in the Meuse region near Luxembourg and the Oise area near Paris.
Earlier on July 26, coordinated attacks on France's high-speed rail network disrupted travel just hours before the Olympic opening ceremony. This attack targeted signal substations and cables, leading to significant travel delays and the arrest of a "far-left extremist."
Despite these challenges, normal train services resumed by Monday morning, but not before approximately 800,000 people experienced disruptions, with 100,000 facing outright cancellations.