With crucial services crippled following severe, widespread internet and phone disruptions across Yellowknife Monday, several city businesses were forced to close their doors early, leading to financial loss and frustration.
SA国际影视传媒淚t hurt us immensely,SA国际影视传媒� said Barry Bessette, manager of Borden DriveSA国际影视传媒檚 M&M Food Market.
Bessette was one of many business operators who saw critical Interac and Visa payment services paralyzed after internet, cable, home-phone and LTE services went down throughout Yellowknife and the North Slave Region.
After moving to cash-only purchases following the outage SA国际影视传媒� a move made by businesses across the city SA国际影视传媒� RoySA国际影视传媒檚 Audio Video Unlimited locked up hours before its usual closing time on Monday.
It was the second major outage in the span of a month. Vandalism is being blamed for both outages, and the SA国际影视传媒檚 federal investigations unit heading a probe into the pair of incidents.
The interruptions began around 9 a.m., when many businesses had just opened for the day.
Bessette said his store opened briefly before employees were forced to shut down operations for most of the day. The storefront opened hours later, at around 5:30 p.m., after internet and phone services had been restored.
Bessette said the closure will spell significant losses for the meat shop.
City councillor and owner of Flowers North, Stacie Smith, said MondaySA国际影视传媒檚 outage hit her small business hard. Like other businesses across town, SmithSA国际影视传媒檚 relied-upon debit and Internet services were left paralyzed, forcing her close several hours early.
Across town at the YK Centre, RoySA国际影视传媒檚 Audio Video Unlimited called it a day hours before its usual closing time.
Across the hall at Flowers North, owner and city councillor Stacie Smith was preparing to do the same at 3 p.m., three hours before she normally locks up.
SA国际影视传媒淭odaySA国际影视传媒檚 a write off. It hit us hard,SA国际影视传媒� said Smith, adding a SA国际影视传媒済ood portion,SA国际影视传媒� of her small business depends on debit and Visa as payment options for increasingly cashless customers.
SA国际影视传媒淥ur daily (earnings are) going to be at zero because we werenSA国际影视传媒檛 able to take in any money,SA国际影视传媒� said Smith.
Many residents angered by MondaySA国际影视传媒檚 outage took to social media to express frustration with Northwestel, the regional telecommunications provider.
Smith stopped short of blaming the company, but said there should be fail-safes built into the system so that businesses - particularly small businesses - arenSA国际影视传媒檛 brought to a standstill during disruptions.
SA国际影视传媒淲e need to have some short of a backup system for us because weSA国际影视传媒檙e sitting ducks here,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淥ur business sector is being hit hard."
According to Andrew Anderson, director of communications at Northwestel, there are steps businesses can take to minimize financial losses following disruptions.
SA国际影视传媒淒ue to a variety of regulated and non-regulated services we provide, Northwestel will work with our customers on a case-by-case basis to ensure they are only billed for services they receive according to their terms of service,SA国际影视传媒� stated Anderson in an email to Yellowknifer.
But M&M Food MarketSA国际影视传媒檚 Barry Bessette isnSA国际影视传媒檛 convinced of the telecomSA国际影视传媒檚 ability to accurately evaluate the full scope of the financial losses suffered by businesses like his.
SA国际影视传媒淚t would just be words on their part,SA国际影视传媒� said Bessette.
Anderson told Yellowknifer Northwestel shares the SA国际影视传媒渇rustration of impacted business owners.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淭hese senseless acts of vandalism hurt our economy and our communities,SA国际影视传媒� wrote Anderson, adding Northwestel is supporting the as it investigates the suspected criminal acts that led to MondaySA国际影视传媒檚 disruption.
