UPDATE: Repairs to Damaged Hawaiian Telcom Line Complete

***Updated at 11:52 a.m. Monday, Sept. 23.***

The damaged fiber-optic line in Waikoloa has been restored to service, Hawaiian Telcom spokesman Ann Nishida Fry said at 11:42 a.m. today.

She said the repairs were completed at 10:45 a.m.

Customers who continue to experience service disruptions should contact Hawaiian Telcom’s 24-Hour Service Center at 611 or 643-6111.

 ***Updated at 10:49 a.m. Monday, Sept. 23.***

Hawaiian Telcom crews this morning are continuing to repair a break in a fiber-optic cable that has limited service to customers in parts of Ka`u, South Kona and South Kohala.

The break occurred at about 5 p.m. Sunday in a remote site in Waikoloa, company spokeswoman Ann Nishida Fry said.

She said roads in the area were impassable so repairs crews were forced to walk the repair equipment about a half-mile to reach the area early this morning.

“As a result of this fiber break, Hawaiian Telcom phone service is limited – 911 services should not be impacted but long-distance calls may not go through,” Fry said.

High-speed internet, other internet-based services such as credit card and ATM machines and cell phone service may also be out, she said.

Some cellular providers can be affected if they rely on land-line networks.

“Many cellular calls will traverse our network,” Fry said.

Affected areas include Pahala, Naalehu, Ocean View, Honaunau, Keahou, Kaloao, Kealakekua and Waikoloa.

Service is slowly being restored as each of the fiber-optic lines is spliced back together.

 Posted at 8:48 a.m.:

A break in a Hawaiian Telcom fiber-optic system has left customers in the southern and western portions of the Big Island without regular or cellular telephone service this morning.

A call to a company spokeswoman was not immediately returned.

A call to Hawaiian Telcom’s service number said the areas affected included Ka`u, Kailua-Kona and Waikoloa.

Hawaii County’s Civil Defense Agency reported that the outages were occurring in Pahala, Naalehu, Ocean View and parts of South Kona.

“Hawaiian Telcom crews have identified the break and are currently working on restoring telephone service as soon as possible,” the civil defense message said.

It also advised that anyone needing emergency assistance should go to the nearest police or fire station or hospital.