Telecommunications Issues in West Hawai‘i Resolved

Update: Hawai‘i Island police report at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday that Hawaiian Telecom has successfully repaired its fiber line and that cell and landline phone service to the west side of the island is now fully restored.

Earlier version:

Hawai‘i Police Department reports that they were informed by Hawaiian Telcom of a fiber line break affecting telephone and cell phone communications in West Hawai‘i, including the Kona, Ka’ū, and Waikōloa areas. This line break is also impacting the public’s ability to call 9-1-1 and police stations in Kona and Ka’ū.

The break location has been identified and crews are on scene to address the situation.

Many customers on the west side of Hawai‘i Island are not able to call out on their cellphones and landlines. If residents are in need of assistance and are unable to call 9-1-1 or the non-emergency line, they are advised to please go to the nearest police station or medical facility.

Kona police station is located at 74-611 Hale Mākaʻi Place, Kailua-Kona, and the Ka’ū police station is located in Nā‘ālehu at 95-5355 Māmalahoa Highway, Nāʻālehu.

According to Hawaiian Telcom, the issue started around 9 a.m. and is estimated to take several hours to repair.

A statement on the Hawaiian Telcom webpage states: “Hawaiian Telcom customers on Hawaii Island may be experiencing slower internet speeds or a drop in connection at this time. Our teams are aware and working to resolve as quickly as possible. Mahalo for your patience. If you need assistance, please send us a message or submit a support request online at bit.ly/SupportTix.”