Chaos in Döbeln: fiber optic cable completely destroyed - internet failure!

Chaos in Döbeln: fiber optic cable completely destroyed - internet failure!

In Döbeln, digital life has come to a standstill. The connection to the digital world is at a standstill between Dresdenerstrasse and Ziegelstrasse, and citizens have to make do without the Internet and telephone. The reason for the outage is a failed drilling attempt during broadband expansion that took place on Monday afternoon when workers damaged several Telekom fiber optic lines. The damage was discovered quickly, but repairs are proving tricky and taking a long time.

Six Telekom employees from Leipzig are currently on site to repair the broken cables. The initial work temporarily stopped at around 1 a.m., but was interrupted due to noise. The fitters have already started installing the local connection cable, but whether and when everything will work smoothly again remains uncertain. “It could also be that we discover further damage,” said one responsible person. The audience wonders how many customers are affected by the outage.

Global wave of infrastructure problems

The incident in Döbeln is not isolated. There was also a recent serious incident in the Baltic Sea that is raising alarm bells. An undersea cable was damaged on January 26, 2025, prompting Latvia to send a warship to investigate. During the investigation, the naval forces came across a suspicious ship, the “Michalis San”, which was on its way to Russia at the time of the damage. This incident is seen as part of a worrying development since the start of Russia's attack on Ukraine, when there have already been several damages to telecommunications and power cables in the Baltic Sea.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed concern about the security of critical infrastructure and reiterated solidarity with the affected countries. In fact, NATO has responded with the “Baltic Sentry” mission and announced increased patrols to keep a close eye on events in the region. The experts agree: More than 90 percent of global data traffic runs over submarine cables, and these are often unprotected. This makes them vulnerable to external influences and potential attacks.

Investigations are ongoing

There have already been indications of targeted acts of sabotage in the past, including several incidents in the Baltic Sea. Finnish and Swedish authorities are investigating reports of suspected sabotage and serious disruption to telecommunications traffic. A Chinese freighter was named as a possible culprit. “The picture that is emerging is alarming and raises questions about the security of our infrastructure,” said Johannes Peters, a security expert from Kiel.

Given the serious developments, every effort must continue to be made in both Döbeln and the Baltic Sea to repair the damage and prevent future incidents. The citizens of Döbeln hope to be able to be online again soon, while the entire region continues to be in the spotlight regarding the security situation in the Baltic Sea.

For the latest information about the situation in Döbeln, read the report on Saxon. Further news about the incidents in the Baltic Sea can be found at n-tv and a more detailed insight ZDF.