Rahul Singh & Vikramaditya
Campbell Bay, Great Nicobar, Sep 22: Since late afternoon on September 20, 2025, Great Nicobar Island has been facing a complete communication blackout. Both Airtel and BSNL mobile networks have been down, while BSNL’s FTTH broadband service also collapsed, leaving thousands of residents cut off from the rest of the world.
As per sources the disruption is believed to have originated after Car Nicobar, possibly due to a fault in the undersea optical fiber cable. The Nancowry group of islands that depend on the same link are also affected.
The blackout has not only paralyzed communication but also severely hit banking and financial transactions. With mobile internet and networks down, QR code-based UPI services are non-functional. Most banks have suspended digital operations, and ATM services are also disrupted, leaving locals unable to withdraw cash. At present, the Andaman & Nicobar State Cooperative Bank is the only institution providing limited services through its offline systems, but long queues are being reported as residents rush to manage their daily needs.
Government employees posted in this remote island are among the worst-hit, unable to communicate with their families on the mainland or in Port Blair. Residents, too, are anxious, cut off even from basic calling services.
The only partial relief comes from BSNL’s old copper-line broadband connections. Switched to satellite bandwidth, a handful of these lines are still alive but at painfully low speeds—barely enough for short messages. Only 10–15 users across Campbell Bay have access, forcing desperate locals to crowd around them to send urgent updates.
The blackout began precisely at 3:32 PM on September 20, and even as of this morning, September 22, connectivity has not been restored.
The blackout has brought the island’s economy to a near standstill. On September 22, two technicians attempted to activate a temporary 2G service, which functioned for only about 30 minutes around 3 PM before shutting down again. As the entire FTTH network remains down, affecting more than 700 customers. “Airtel towers at Campbell Bay are also still non-functional, and according to local accounts, the company has yet to take any visible initiative to support its over 3,000 subscribers in the region,” sources said.
As per highly placed sources, repairing the CANI undersea optical fiber cable could take several months. Specialized repair ships and technical expertise are required, making it a complex and time-consuming task.
