Vandalism knocks out critical Telecom hub in Gogohe, disrupting service across Buka Island

A critical telecommunications tower site in Gogohe, northern Bougainville, has been vandalized, leading to significant service disruptions across multiple villages and impacting local businesses. The damaged facility, identified as PG0703 Hoko, is a vital network hub for Digicel in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB).

The vandalism has caused widespread outages, affecting areas beyond the immediate vicinity of the damaged tower. Digicel AROB confirmed the incident and the resulting service interruptions, highlighting the tower's role in providing backhaul connectivity to numerous other sites in the region.

The full extent of the damage and the impact on the community are still being assessed. The disruption affects both residents and businesses that rely on stable telecommunications for their operations. Information regarding the timeline for repairs and service restoration has not yet been provided.