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LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Deh Cho residents had a quiet day-and-a-half last week as a damaged Northwestel fibre optic cable cut off long-distance calling and Internet services. People had to deal with paying only by cash, having no cellphone access and no Internet.

Using cash was the sole method of payment accepted at Fort Simpson's Northern store during a region-wide Internet and long-distance phone disruption. - Jeanne Gagnon/NNSL photo

A melted fibre terminal caused by a forest fire at the Morrisey Microwave Site was the reason of the disruption, the company confirmed.

"Northwestel technicians worked through the night to clear the damaged area of trees and debris, excavate the damaged infrastructure and complete the repairs," stated the company in a press release. "They worked in shifts to replace 200 metres of damaged fibre."

Long-distance services in the Yukon and the Northwest Territories were affected for part of Sept. 18. Service was restored around dinner time between the Yellowknife and Hay River areas to Yukon and Inuvik areas.

All remaining disrupted services, including data and long-distance services in the Mackenzie Valley area, were restored on Sept. 19.

Fort Simpson residents could buy groceries only if they paid cash during the disruption as debit and ATMs were not working. Northern store manager John Dempsey said they were able to place their food order borrowing a satellite phone.

"We won't be experiencing any food shortages," he said on Sept. 19. "Unfortunately, it's a cash-only business right now but we're going to be working with the community to try to figure out some way so that people won't starve."

He said consumers tend to use debit and credit now more often than cash, creating a quiet day-and-a-half when those services were not available at Northern.

The lack of long-distance calling and Internet services also affected offices. Liidlii Kue First Nation Chief Minnie Letcher said it was unfortunate people could not call the office with concerns while the service was down, but since the disruption wasn't too lengthy, it didn't cause too many problems.

"We're getting a break from the world," she said. "When you get into situations, it's like anything else, you just have to cope with the realities of not having service. But it makes one realize how dependent we are on the services."

At the village, Fort Simpson Mayor Sean Whelly said the disconnected experience shed light on tools the office should have in times where communication avenues are down.

"It's an eye-opener to have all your communications shut down to the outside world, though. The village itself doesn't have a satellite phone. We're getting one now. We realize now we've got to have one," he said.

Everyone was trying do their work as best they could on the computers without having outside access, he added. A day or two is not the end of the world, said Whelly, but it's certainly noticed.

The service disruption shows how dependent on the Internet they have become, he said.

"It was like going back in time," said Whelly. "Outgoing phone calls, I mean that's one thing, but the Internet and e-mail and things like that, to me that really strikes home how dependent we have become on it. To just walk around town and see nobody on their cellphones was somewhat different."

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