The French government has launched an investigation after multiple telecommunications lines were hit by acts of vandalism on Monday, affecting fibreoptic cables and phone lines as cities around France host events for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
France's second largest telecommunications company, SFR, has said it has made repairs in several areas and "workarounds" have kept the impact of the sabotage to a minimum.
Some other providers also got things up and running later Monday, while the organisers of the Paris Olympic Games said their operations were not affected.
The vandalism came after arson attacks hit train networks around France on Friday, just hours before the Olympics opening ceremony.
According to Paris prosecutors, a national investigation has been launched into the attacks on fibreoptic cables and “the damage to the telecommunications systems".
The crimes being investigated include damaging property with an intent to harm vital national interests and attacking data processing systems by an organised group, which carry 10 to 15 year prison sentences.
Marina Ferrari, secretary of state in charge of digital affairs, posted on X that damage in several regions overnight Sunday to Monday affected telecommunications operators.
She also said that led to local impact on access to fibreoptic lines, as well a fixed and mobile telephone lines.
Early morning attacks
A French police official said there were issues in at least six of the country's administrative departments – which include the region around the Mediterranean city of Marseille, hosting Olympic football and sailing competitions.
Paris 2024 organisers said they have been informed of acts of sabotage on fibreoptic networks across several French departments but “we can only confirm that there is no impact on our operations.”
SFR said its long-distance network “was the target of acts of vandalism at five points in five departments between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m."
"Maintenance teams are on site to carry out repair work," SFR said in a statement.
It added that the impact of the vandalism acts on its customers was “very low because there are sufficient backups and workarounds”.
National and international operators impacted
Up to eight French and international operators – who use SFR's infrastructure – have been affected, with the company adding that full service had already been restored by Monday afternoon in several areas.
Telecom operators Bouygues and Free confirmed they were also affected.
Free later said service had been restored after an “incident affecting multiple networks in 11 departments."
A national investigation also is underway into last week's train sabotage, which disrupted travel for nearly a million passengers in France as well as people in London and in other neighbouring countries.
Train traffic had largely resumed by Monday.
French media reported that an extreme-left activist was arrested at a rail facility on Sunday in Normandy.
But the Paris prosecutor’s office said the arrest was unconnected to what happened Friday and that no one has been arrested so far in the national investigation into the arson attacks.
