Categorized | Business, Featured, Hurricane, News

HawaiianTel restores service to all but 500 customers in Puna

MEDIA RELEASE

A photo of a 1,200-pair cable and a splicing tool inside of a splice case. The case is placed over the cut or damaged section and the cables are pulled through it. Hawaiian Telcom technicians must open each colored sheath to expose the copper wire and then splice or connect each wire in the proper sequence at each end of the wire using the splicing tool. This equates to 2,400 individual splices, which can be done by one or two splicers at a time. It is precise, labor-intense work that takes time. Photo courtesy of HawaiianTel.

A photo of a 1,200-pair cable and a splicing tool inside of a splice case. The case is placed over the cut or damaged section and the cables are pulled through it. Hawaiian Telcom technicians must open each colored sheath to expose the copper wire and then splice or connect each wire in the proper sequence at each end of the wire using the splicing tool. This equates to 2,400 individual splices, which can be done by one or two splicers at a time. It is precise, labor-intense work that takes time. Photo courtesy of HawaiianTel.

Hawaiian Telcom restored service to more than 1,000 customers in the Puna District over the past two days, bringing the total number of customers out of service to about 500.

Immediately after the storm, Hawaiian Telcom crews assisted the power company and the County crews with clearing away trees, debris and about 250 fallen utility poles. Hawaiian Telcom’s repair work could not be done concurrently with HELCO’s and could begin only after utility poles were replaced and HELCO’s work was complete. Now at that stage, the company is able to bring customers back on line quickly.

Hawaiian Telcom is currently providing free Wi-Fi service at the Hawaiian Paradise Park Activity Center and the Pahoa Community Center. Hours of operation at both locations are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To take advantage of the free Wi-Fi, consumers should bring their own wireless devices, such as laptop computers, tablets and smartphones.

Hawaiian Telcom thanks customers for their patience and understanding as crews continue to work hard on restoring all services as quickly as possible.

Another photo of a different 1,200-pair cable. Photo courtesy of HawaiianTel.

Another photo of a different 1,200-pair cable. Photo courtesy of HawaiianTel.

A Hawaiian Telcom splicer working on repairs to an aerial cable on the Big Island. Photo courtesy of HawaiianTel.

A Hawaiian Telcom splicer working on repairs to an aerial cable on the Big Island. Photo courtesy of HawaiianTel.

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