An unforeseeable exceptional situation.
The weather forecasts for Easter included flood warnings. However, nobody had expected the large quantities of wet and heavy snow. Under the weight of the snow, many cables were torn out of their anchoring. Poles were knocked to the ground by falling trees and the fixing points of the cables – whether attached to buildings or masts – did not hold up. These outages affected many households, which had to deal with the consequences of the interruption to telephone and data transmission networks over the festive period.
In addition to Valais, countless incident reports were received at the same time from Kandertal, Simmental and Saanenland. In view of the extent of the damage, cablex mobilised all available emergency services. Despite adverse weather conditions and sometimes inaccessible terrain, our technicians in the overhead line team did their utmost to replace the damaged infrastructure or keep it functional with temporary solutions.
By 2 May 2025, 640 orders had been registered. This has resulted in 474 deployments to date. 150 temporary repairs ensured that some of the connections could be restored very quickly.
Solidarity across regions.
The Easter holidays are over and the snow has now melted – but the damage caused remains and still requires our full attention. Over the holidays, overhead line teams from French-speaking Switzerland were called in at short notice to provide support. Teams from the central and eastern regions of Switzerland are now also providing support in order to resolve all incidents as quickly as possible. Due to the fact that some of the damaged areas are difficult to access, the repair of the overhead line infrastructure is particularly complex and will probably take some time.
All available forces in Valais are working hard to re-establish the necessary infrastructure for all affected customers. The team spirit at cablex is unique and knows no bounds. Severe weather situations can affect all regions in Switzerland. Our colleagues are on hand with passion and commitment when you need them.
Michel Béguin heads the Field Services department in French-speaking Switzerland and Upper Valais. He describes the extraordinary operation as follows:
During this critical period, our teams were actively deployed to respond to the very sharp increase in overhead line faults in Valais and Upper Valais. When faced with an unusual situation that required a quick and effective response, they demonstrated their ability to adapt and solve problems under pressure. The large number of incidents required honed expertise and exemplary commitment – qualities that every team member demonstrated with determination. Their ability to respond quickly to the needs of customers affected by the heavy snowfall demonstrates their remarkable collective strength and confirms once again that together we can overcome even the most demanding challenges.
Michel Béguin, Heads Field Services department in French-speaking Switzerland and Upper Valais.
