Days-long Telus outage leaves Calgary residents frustrated amid copper theft wave

Calgary residents Laurie and Chris Softley returned from vacation to find their home's Wi-Fi, internet, and phone services completely out. They are among hundreds of Telus customers in the Calgary area experiencing a prolonged outage, now extending over a week, due to a surge in copper theft.

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Nobody’s been able to tell us when it’s going to be fixed. Nobody.

"Nobody's been able to tell us when it's going to be fixed. Nobody," Chris Softley stated, expressing the widespread frustration. Telus confirmed that copper theft incidents are the cause, noting that the rising price of copper has led to increased instances of theft across various industries, including telecommunications, construction, and energy.

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In Ogden, cable cut damage is affecting home phone, internet, and TV services. In Kingsland and Bowness, home phone services are being affected.

A Telus spokesperson explained that copper thefts have doubled in 2026 compared to the previous year. These acts of vandalism not only target copper cables but often damage nearby fiber optic cables, disrupting essential services for a larger number of customers. The company reported that approximately 1,600 Telus customers have been affected by these thefts this month alone.

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As the price of copper has risen, so has the instance of theft affecting numerous industries including telecom, construction, electricity, and natural gas.

Calgary Police Sgt. Nick Wilsher highlighted the broader impact of such thefts, noting that telecommunication cables are easily accessible. He explained that these incidents affect emergency communications, hospitals, and even agricultural systems, potentially leading to crop losses for farmers. The Softleys, now on day 11 without internet, have spent over 10 hours on the phone with customer service, seeking a resolution and the restoration of their services.

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Telus says copper thefts have doubled in 2026 compared to just a year ago.