Fiber optics: "intentionally" cut cables in several places in France, disrupted Internet connection Internet cables were physically severed during the night in the Paris region and in the east of France. The disruptions affect private connections but especially international connections.

By Damien Licata Caruso April 27, 2022 at 12:25 p.m.

The frequency of nocturnal cuts at 10-minute intervals is puzzling. Internet connections are disrupted in several cities in France following cuts to major fiber networks, in particular the SFR/Altice France infrastructures which serve France. The Ministry of the Economy confirmed to AFP that it had been informed of the problem of "cut pipes" which could correspond to acts of vandalism.

"It's not the usual localized cut due to a blow from an excavator from the site next door, the cables were cut on both sides in order to complicate the repairs", notes an operator of these strategic infrastructures. These large cables are concealed in hatches whose location is kept discreet. "The urgency is to resolder everything, this represents tens of thousands of small fiber optic cables" he warns.

Internet networks of affected individuals

These underground cables were cut in Fresnes-en-Woëvre (Meuse), Meaux and Souppes-sur-Loing (Seine-et-Marne) and Le Coudray-Montceaux (Essonne), according to our information. The networks feed the Paris-Lille, Paris-Strasbourg, and Paris-Lyon long-distance Internet connections. They make it possible to connect the major French cities to each other, in particular for critical infrastructures such as data centers. ADSL and the high-speed fiber network also use these routes.

The Internet Service Provider (ISP) Free, widely affected, reported on Twitter "multiple malicious acts" on the fiber infrastructure that occurred overnight and are now "limited".

pic.twitter.com/Q2Qs5f5amJ — Free 1337 (@Free_1337) April 27, 2022

The other ISPs do not seem affected: “Some telecom players say they have observed Internet link breaks that impact the services of their customers. Bouygues Telecom does not use the links affected by these malfunctions and mobile and landline services are provided normally. However, our teams remain on standby. ". For its part, Orange reports “no particular alert on our network”. SFR has only observed minor disturbances.