SINGAPORE – Mobile services along the entire the Circle Line (CCL) will be shut for a full day on Friday (Nov 4), as the authorities escalated efforts to track down the source of a persistent signal fault that’s been causing widespread delays.
Telcos M1 and Singtel first announced a suspension of telecommunication signals on the 30-station line for about two hours on Friday morning. After an extension to 9.30am, Singtel announced on Facebook that the service disruption would be extended for a full day on Friday. It is unclear when the suspension would be lifted.
“Please note that the suspension of mobile services along the Circle Line has been extended for the rest of today on LTA’s instructions,” Singtel wrote on Facebook at 9.55am. “We apologise for the inconvenience caused and thank you for your understanding.”
Friday’s shutdown of mobile telecommunication signals on the CCL is the second in two days and the most drastic yet by the authorities. They had previously ordered a smaller-scale suspension of mobile signals on Sept 2, in a similar bid to trace the source of the interfering signal, which resulted in train service delays spanning five days. The suspension then lasted two hours and involved only four CCL stations: Kent Ridge, Haw Par Villa, Pasir Panjang and Labrador Park.
They were unsuccessful in tracking down the source of the interference, which resurfaced this week on Wednesday morning, disrupting service between six stations, including Bishan and Serangoon interchanges.
Neither the Land Transport Authority (LTA) nor train operator SMRT have shed light on the progress they are making in their efforts to find the cause of the signal fault. Messages posted by SMRT on Thursday and Friday merely alluded to “ongoing tests”.
Earlier on Friday morning, SMRT warned of fresh delays on the CCL due to the recurrence of the signal fault which disrupted Wednesday morning’s rush-hour commute. But the trains appeared to run smoothly at several CCL stations that TODAY visited.
