Qwest long-distance service in Oregon down

January 19, 2008

ASTORIA, Ore. — Qwest says a fiber optic line in Washington state has been cut twice in two days, knocking out long-distance service to about 20,000 customers in northwest Oregon.

The Qwest customers are in Astoria, Seaside and Cannon Beach.

The company says crews have twice repaired the line, restoring service for the second time at about 9:30 a.m. Saturday.

Qwest spokesman Bob Gravely says the two cuts were within about 800 feet of each other, at a point where the line emerges from the ground to be carried on poles.

Sergeant Yund Khembar of the Kelso police department says officers assume at this point that thieves were trying to get copper wire.

But he and Gravely note that fiber optic lines are made of glass, not metal.