Armenia is cut off Internet again: cable breakages in Georgia become permanent

Regnum, Russia
Aug 5 2006

For the last 48 hours, the population of Armenia has twice been cut
off the internet, REGNUM correspondent reported from Yerevan on the
telephone. On August 4 and 5, the reason of the breakdowns in the
work of Armenian internet providers became cable failures on the
territory of Georgia.

According to the national ArmenTel Company information holding
exclusive rights on maintaining international telecommunications
in Armenia, the current situation is caused by cable failure in the
Kutaisi region, which resulted in the absence of internet connection
in Armenia for 6 hours. Today, on August 5, cable was also broken
on the Black Sea seabed. No information on when the damage would be
fixed is available so far.

The government of Armenia regards information technologies development
the main priority of the country’s national economy.

Meanwhile, the republic remains in an utterly vulnerable position
since the internet connection is established through the only cable
connecting Armenia via Georgia on the Black Sea seabed to Ukraine. In
the south of Armenia the cable is connected to Iranian communication
network. The current internet connection breakdown is the third
large-scale cable failure that happened lately in Georgia.