Cuts and slowdowns in Internet connection were reported in numerous major French cities on Wednesday after fibre optic cables were damaged overnight in “attacks” on critical infrastructure, according to telecom companies.
“The attacks occurred overnight about 4 a.m. Since this morning, our crews have been hard at work “According to a representative for Free, an internet and mobile phone service provider (AFP).
The corporation mentioned “several hostile activities” attacking its wires in a tweet.
SFR, a competitor, reported “multiple fibre cuts” in the Paris region and Lyon, in southeast France.
Other carriers, such as Bouygues Telecom, are unaffected since they utilise separate networks, although consumers across the nation, particularly in Strasbourg and Grenoble, have experienced issues.
At this point, the cause of the problem is unknown, but experts noted that the apparent coordinated cuts to fibre optic connections were unusual.
“This kind of attack of this size never happens,” a security source told AFP on the condition of anonymity. “It’s the first time, and we have no idea who it is at the moment.”