Haines and Skagway residents have faced days of weak or no cell service, a situation linked to the Juneau glacial outburst flood. This event has affected major carriers including AT&T, GCI, Verizon, and Visible, leaving many without reliable communication.
The Impact on Residents
- Garrett Shively, a Haines resident, lost service early Wednesday, relying on Visible (Verizon's network). Without Wi-Fi, his phone's hotspot was his lifeline.
- Nicole Horton Holm described the service as akin to being in Canada, with messages needing manual download and only emergency calls coming through.
- In Skagway, Juliene Miles spent hours with AT&T, which hinted at a restoration by Aug. 28.
Carrier Responses
- AT&T cited flooding and a fiber cut by a contractor as causes, with no clear repair timeline.
- Verizon enabled roaming on a partner network during repairs.
- GCI claims normal operation in Haines and Skagway, despite user complaints.
This situation underscores the fragility of our digital infrastructure in the face of natural disasters.
Comments
Join Our Community
Sign up to share your thoughts, engage with others, and become part of our growing community.
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts and start the conversation!