Telesat satellite malfunction disrupts services

Northern Canada’s long-distance and Internet connections and Shaw Direct TV were among a host of telecom services that went down Thursday due to a “technical anomaly” impacting Telesat Canada’s Anik F2 satellite. One of Telesat’s 12 satellites serving the North American market, Anik F2, was affected by the anomaly shortly after 6:30 a.m. Thursday, causing a loss of all services that depend on the device, Telesat said in a release. The satellite supports nearly all long-distance and Internet broadband connections in remote communities in Canada's North, as well as Shaw Direct TV and a host of C-band, Ku-band and Ka-band services. By 4 p.m. eastern time, Telesat business customers said the company had privately assured them that services would be restored by about 10 p.m. John Flaherty, Telesat's director of marketing, told the CBC Thursday that a malfunctioning satellite turns away to face the sun so that it does not interfere with other devices. “Telesat is in control of the satellite and all indications are that it is healthy and can be returned to service,” the company said in a release Thursday. “Telesat is now undertaking to return the satellite to normal operations and is working with its customers on Anik F2 to restore traffic in an orderly manner and minimize the impact to their networks.”

Telesat satellite malfunction disrupts services

Brief | October 6, 2011

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