Bell says that stolen copper is the cause of an internet outage that impacted nearly 200 people across three New Brunswick communities over the weekend.
A Bell spokesperson confirmed to CBC New that 187 internet customers in Durham Bridge, South Portage, and Fredericton were affected by the outage.
The outages started in Durham Bridge and South Portage around 11 p.m. on Saturday, and around 8 a.m. on Sunday for Fredericton customers.
According to CBC, Bell has reported a 40 per cent increase in copper thefts for 2025, with 1,275 incidents reported across the country. However, the company says it does not believe there are any issues with landline service.
For example, back in January, it was reported that a kilometre’s worth of Bell’s copper cable was stolen from the southern New Brunswick community of Welsford, leaving people cut off from cellular data and landline phones. Police confirmed that three people were charged in provincial court with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.
Bell is reportedly trying to reduce copper theft by installing alarms that alert police when infrastructure is tampered with, using additional security services, and pursuing legal action against people who attempt to steal copper.
Source: CBC
