E-Comm 9-1-1 says Telus has advised some North Island communities will not have landline service, and there is no estimation for when service will be restored.
The communities without landline service include Ocean Falls, Holberg, and Oweekeno.
If someone has a life-threatening emergency, E-Comm 9-1-1 advises them to call 911 in case service is restored. If not, then you should head to your nearest emergency room, doctor, police, or fire department if able.
.@TELUS advising no landline service in some North Island communities incl #OceanFalls #Holberg & #Oweekeno. No ETA for service restoration. Life-threatening emerg? Dial 911 in case service restored. No service? Head to nearest ER/doc or police/fire dept if able. @EmergencyInfoBC
— E-Comm 9-1-1 (@EComm911_info) October 6, 2022
On Telus’ website, the outage is listed as being in Port Hardy, and started at 9:05 p.m.
The company says the cause is under investigation, and it is a suspected hardware issue.
Telus says service technicians have been engaged and the investigation is ongoing.
“We recognize how this interruption may impact you, and we appreciate your patience as we work to restore services as quickly as possible,” the company says on its website.
Though Telus has a map of the approximate area, it is only showing over Port Hardy. The map does not include an estimation of how many customers are without service.
This isn’t the first time Telus has had outages impacting the ability to call 911 this year.
On May 30, E-Comm issued a similar advisory for people in the Cowichan Valley Regional District.
In Gold River, service was impacted on Jan. 26.
.@TELUS advises of an outage affecting landline/cell service in #GoldRiver, #BC. Life-threatening emerg? Dial 9-1-1 in case service is restored. No service? Ask a friend for help and head to nearest ER/doctor or police/fire department if able. #911BC FYI: @StrathconaRD pic.twitter.com/qYzmiqQ3rd
— E-Comm 9-1-1 (@EComm911_info) January 26, 2022
Off the Island, there have been a number of times these warnings have been issued.
Including a landlines in Quesnel, Williams Lake, Horsefly and nearby areas on Sept. 19.
.@TELUS reporting incident possibly impacting landlines in #Quesnel #WilliamsLake #Horsefly & nearby areas. Life-threatening emerg? Dial 911 in case service avail. No service? Ask friend for help/head to nearest ER/doc/police/fire dept if able. Info: https://t.co/VUWWk280o5
— E-Comm 9-1-1 (@EComm911_info) September 20, 2022
Spences Bridge on Sept. 14.
.@TELUS advising service disruption impacting some landline/cell service in Spences Bridge area. #TELUS techs investigating. Life-threatening emerg? Dial 911 in case service avail. No service? Head to doctor/police/fire dept if able. Info @TELUSsupport. #911BC
— E-Comm 9-1-1 (@EComm911_info) September 14, 2022
Loon Lake on Aug. 16.
.@TELUS advising landline service currently unavailable in #LoonLake. Life-threatening emerg? Dial 911 in case service restored. No service? Head to doc/police/fire dept if able. For more info visit @TELUSsupport outage map: https://t.co/GN2hfWiuf2 #911BC
— E-Comm 9-1-1 (@EComm911_info) August 17, 2022
The Boston Bar, Lytton and Spences Bridge area on July 14.
.@TELUS advising landline/cell service currently unavailable in Boston Bar, Lytton & Spences Bridge area. #TELUS techs onsite. Life-threatening emerg? Dial 911 in case service restored. No service? Head to nearest doctor/police/fire dept if able. Info @TELUSsupport. #911BC
— E-Comm 9-1-1 (@EComm911_info) July 14, 2022
Parts of the Fraser Valley Regional District on June 12.
.@TELUS advising of an ongoing service disruption in parts of the @FraserValleyRD impacting landlines only. #TELUS techs onsite working to resolve the issue; no ETA on restoration. If you have an emergency dial 911 from a cellphone. List of impacted areas: https://t.co/KtfcJnV64g
— E-Comm 9-1-1 (@EComm911_info) June 12, 2022
Northern B.C. including Burns Lake, Topley, Terrace, Prince George, Kitimat, Smithers, Granisle, Hazleton, Takla Landing and Kitkatla on June 7.
UPDATE: @TELUS disruption page also indicates the communities of Takla Landing and Kitkatla are also being impacted. For questions and updates, contact @TELUS or check https://t.co/VsLcW2kCdu https://t.co/yw8dEF2tR5
— E-Comm 9-1-1 (@EComm911_info) June 7, 2022
A province-wide outage on May 30.
We are getting reports of a province-wide outage impacting @TELUS & @koodo cellphone customers in #BC. If you are experiencing an emergency, dial 9-1-1. If your call fails, please call back from another carrier or landline if possible #911BC pic.twitter.com/G22IVez3oJ
— E-Comm 9-1-1 (@EComm911_info) May 30, 2022
Brackendale on Feb. 10.
.@TELUS advises of an outage effecting landline/cell service in #Brackendale, #BC on Feb. 10 from 9000-1600hrs. Life-threatening emerg? Dial 911 in case service is restored. No service? Ask a friend for help and head to nearest ER/doctor or police/fire department if able. #911BC pic.twitter.com/1HUeAvTenP
— E-Comm 9-1-1 (@EComm911_info) February 10, 2022
Following the country-wide Rogers outage earlier this year, telecom companies reached an agreement to ensure and guarantee users will be able to use emergency roaming or other mutual assistance in the case of a major outage. This is only in place of an event like the country-wide outage, however.
Laura Brougham
