HUNDREDS of properties have been left with phone or broadband services after a cable was maliciously cut.
BT engineers worked throughout yesterday to fix the problem, which affected parts of Southsea.
People started to report the problem at about midday on Thursday.
The main area affected was around Clarendon Road, including properties south of Albert Road, west of Festing Road and east of The Circle.
Some businesses in the area were unable to use card machines yesterday.
A shopworker from Clarendon Road, who did not want to be named, told The News: ‘Businesses that depend on the internet are finding it pretty difficult.’
Paul Hayward, a spokesman for BT, said: ‘We have suffered malicious cuts to underground cabling in a possible attempted theft.
‘Recovery of the damaged cable is taking place before new cable can be installed and connected into service.
‘We have around 265 reported faults from people affected but we do expect that number to grow.
‘We will be doing all we can to get this all repaired as quickly as possible, but it is likely to be towards the end of next week before we have got services restored to everyone.’
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