Bad weather has pushed back repair work on the damaged SHEFA-2 subsea fibre cable, leaving some broadband and mobile users on Shetland waiting a little longer for full connectivity. The disruption affects customers of Vodafone, Sky Broadband and TalkTalk, while Shetland Telecom and BT remain unaffected thanks to alternative backup routes.
The repair ship Cable Vigilance is currently stationed off the coast of Orkney and ready to begin work once conditions improve. Engineers had hoped to complete repairs by Monday, but rough seas and strong winds have delayed operations until at least early Tuesday.
The SHEFA-2 cable, owned by Faroese Telecom, connects Shetland to both the Faroe Islands to the north and mainland Scotland via Orkney to the south. The latest fault occurred on 3 October 2025 during Storm Amy, around 1.5 km off the coast of Orkney, in a section known for strong tides and previous cable damage.
It’s the second incident in just a few months – the same line was hit by a fishing vessel earlier this year. This time, engineers have had to carry out a new cable landing at the Ayre of Cara (Orkney), adding to the complexity and length of the repair.
Shetland Telecom says most of the preparation work is complete, and the ship is ready to start the final phase of the fix once the weather settles. The team plans to resume work on Tuesday morning, when calmer conditions are expected, with full service restoration targeted for Tuesday evening.
Repairing subsea fibre cables can be slow and difficult, particularly when the damage is in shallow water close to shore. Engineers also have to wait for safe diving conditions before replacing the damaged section.
While some broadband and mobile users on Shetland are still experiencing disruption, core connectivity across the islands has stayed online thanks to backup routes provided by BT and Shetland Telecom. This means that most homes and businesses should still have access to the internet, although speeds or reliability may be reduced in some areas until repairs are complete.
Residents are being advised to stay patient as weather conditions ease. Once the cable is reconnected, services are expected to return to normal by Tuesday evening.
