A full telecommunications service is expected to be restored to the Northern Marianas this morning, nearly three weeks after the territory's sole fibre optic cable was severed.
The cable's owner and service provider, IT&E, says a Taiwan-based repair ship, the CS Durable, has worked around the clock to fix the cable after it arrived in Saipan last week.
Meanwhile, the CNMI's delegate to the US Congress, Gregorio Kilili Sablan, has thanked all those involved in restoring the service, saying many people and organisations had played significant roles.
Businesses have been severely affected by the communications blackout, which has cost the local economy at least 20 million US dollars.
Source:
Radio New Zealand International