HAITI · TELECOMS
Key Facts
- —The country Haiti shares the Caribbean island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic; armed gangs control much of the area around its capital.
- —What happened Digicel said on Monday, 12 October, that both of its international fibre-optic links on Route Nationale 1 were damaged, disrupting calls and internet service.
- —The cause Digicel said it received reports of heavy gunfire in the area and believes the shooting may have damaged the cables.
- —The pattern The Haitian Times counts three Digicel internet outages in less than a month, after earlier cuts on 23 September and in early October.
- —What it means for you Haitian families in the United States may struggle to reach relatives or send money by phone while Digicel’s cables remain damaged.
- —Still open Digicel has given no repair date, though several customers quoted by Juno7 said service began returning on Monday morning.
A Haiti Digicel outage on Monday, 12 October, disrupted internet service and contact with Haitians abroad, including the large community in the United States. Digicel said reports of heavy gunfire near Route Nationale 1, the main road north of Port-au-Prince, may explain damage to both its international fibre-optic links.
It is the third such outage in less than a month, according to The Haitian Times, a US-based newspaper covering Haiti and its diaspora. Digicel gave no date for repairs, saying its technicians are still working out how to reach the area safely.
What Digicel Said on Monday
Digicel is a Caribbean mobile operator and one of Haiti’s longest-serving telecommunications companies. It posted a statement on Monday, and both The Haitian Times and Vant Bèf Info, a Haitian news site, reported its contents.
The company said both of its international fibre-optic links along Route Nationale 1 were damaged. “We received reports of heavy gunfire in the area in question,” the statement said, as quoted by The Haitian Times.
Digicel added that it believes the gunfire “may have caused damage” to its international cables. Its technical teams are mobilised and assessing how to reach the area safely before any repairs.
Vant Bèf Info reported that repairs depend on security conditions in the area and that no restoration time was announced. Digicel apologised to customers and promised to keep them informed.
Why Route Nationale 1 Is Hard to Reach
Route Nationale 1 is one of Haiti’s main roads, linking Port-au-Prince with the north. It passes Cabaret, Montrouis, Saint-Marc and Gonaïves, according to The Haitian Times.
Armed groups rule much of the area along it, the paper reports. It names the Taliban gang in Canaan, a sprawling settlement on the capital’s northern edge, and the Gran Grif and Kokorat San Ras gangs.
Gran Grif and Kokorat San Ras operate in Artibonite, a farming department north of the capital.
These groups impose tolls on vehicles and traders, extort vendors and clash with police and local vigilante groups, The Haitian Times says. Haiti’s National Police and the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force are fighting such gangs, as our explainer on Haiti’s gang crisis sets out.
A Third Outage in Less Than a Month
The Haitian Times reports an earlier Haiti Digicel outage on 23 September and another along Route Nationale 1 in early October. Vant Bèf Info also lists disruptions on 23 September and damage to two cables on the same highway in early October.
The early October outage lasted more than 24 hours, Juno7, a Haitian news site, reported. Digicel then offered customers 1 gigabyte of data valid until midnight as an apology.
On Monday, Juno7 said its own newsroom saw failed calls, no internet and blocked mobile money transfers.
Customers on Digicel’s Facebook page asked for refunds for data plans they could not use, The Haitian Times reported. One user asked whether all of the company’s international fibre runs along that single highway.
Vant Bèf Info noted that the Haitian League for the Defence of Human Rights, a rights group, questioned Digicel on 6 October. It raised service quality, connection cuts and the cost of some data plans.
What It Means for You
For Haitians in the United States, the Haiti Digicel outage can mean dropped calls to relatives and delays in sending money home by phone. Families who depend on Digicel should keep a second channel, such as another provider or a money transfer agent.
Businesses and aid groups that rely on Digicel can lose email and video calls too. The US State Department keeps a Level 4 “Do not travel” advisory for Haiti, citing crime, kidnapping, terrorism, unrest and limited health care.
The Haiti Digicel outage may ease before repairs are complete. Several customers quoted by Juno7 said service began to return on Monday morning, but Digicel had given no restoration date by Monday afternoon.
What Is Not Known
Digicel has not said how long repairs to end the Haiti Digicel outage will take. Nor has it said exactly where on Route Nationale 1 the cables were hit.
Who fired the shots, and whether the cables were a target, has not been established. How much service has returned, and where, is also unclear.
Juno7 found no public statement from Conatel, Haiti’s national telecommunications regulator, at the time it published on Monday. Digicel has not disclosed how many customers lost service or whether it will compensate them for unused data.
More: Haiti news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Does a Haiti Digicel Outage Matter in the United States?
Digicel is one of Haiti’s longest-serving phone and internet providers, and its international links carry traffic to and from abroad. Haitian families in the United States may struggle to reach relatives or send money by phone until repairs are done.
What Caused the Outage?
Digicel said its two international fibre-optic links on Route Nationale 1 were damaged. It said it received reports of heavy gunfire there and believes the shooting may have caused the damage.
When Will Digicel Service Return?
Digicel has not given a date for the end of the Haiti Digicel outage. Its technicians are assessing how to reach the area safely, and repairs depend on security conditions.
Can Americans Travel to Haiti?
The US State Department advises Americans not to travel to Haiti, under a Level 4 advisory. It cites crime, kidnapping, terrorism, unrest and limited health care.
Sources: The Haitian Times (citing Digicel statement of 12 October), 12 October 2026; Vant Bèf Info (citing Digicel note of 12 October), 12 October 2026; Juno7, 12 October 2026; US Department of State, Haiti Travel Advisory, 10 July 2026.
This article was drafted with automated assistance and reviewed before publication. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief