More Telus service outages in Alberta cause outrage amongst customers
Residents in a Glenora apartment complex are the latest victims in a series of service outages linked to Telus.
Since May 25, Shelby Berezan says she's been without cable and internet services.
She has informed Telus multiple times about the issue.
'Yesterday, I was told to be patient. Well, after nine days, we've been patient enough,' she said.
Bezeran says not only are there issues within individual units, but some of the building's devices have been impacted, too. The elevator's emergency phone lines, as well as its buzzer to allow visitors into the building, are also out of service and operated by Telus.
She raises concerns about security issues, including the possibility of someone getting stuck in the elevator.
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But for her, it's the difficulty of not being able to connect with loved ones.
'I need my services. I work online. I talk to my grandkids online. I talk to friends across Canada online,' she explained.
'It feels like COVID all over again. Isolated. Sad. I even feel like I went through a bit of a withdrawal.'
Each time she reported the issue, she said she was told a different reason.
'Everyone tells me something different. There's an outage. Equipment is broken. And the worst part is 'be patient',' she explained.
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Jill Bosgoed lives next door to Berezan.
She says the service outages make it harder for someone who works from home.
'I've been having to find other places to work for the last seven working days as of today,' Bosgoed said. 'I want Telus to get together, figure it out, and give me the services that I pay for.'
The company has dealt with several outages in the Edmonton area within the last few months, blaming copper wire thieves who cut Telus cables.
According to the telecommunications company, in 2024 it has seen a 58-per cent increase from 2023 in terms of copper thefts affecting its operations across Alberta.
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In Edmonton, the company said it has seen a 238-per cent increase in thefts.
In this particular case, Telus told Global News this network disruption was due to vandalism.
'The initial cause of this network disruption was irreparable damage to a fibre distribution hub in north Edmonton caused by vandalism and requiring a full re-installation,' a Telus spokesperson said in a statement.
'We know how critical connectivity is to our customers and deeply appreciate their patience and understanding, especially in instances like these, where the extent of the damage and complexity of the repair work can take an extended period of time to address,' the statement added.
The company urges residents to report any suspicious activity by calling police or Crime Stoppers.
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Berezan says there have been some positives that have come out of this outage.
She's been able to connect more with her neighbours and form new friendships, as well as tap into old hobbies she hasn't touched in a while.
'I visit people. I go for walks. I do art. I started sewing again. I'm reading one book after another,' Berezan said.
'It's still not wonderful. It's awful not to have services,' she added.
Both Berezan and Telus confirmed all services were up and running by late Tuesday morning.
However, that resolution may not be enough to keep Berezan dialed in to Telus.
'I'm going to give Shaw a call,' she said.
— with files from Phil Heidenreich
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