Quake-hit cable link 'restored'

Mainland telephone operators have almost restored communications disrupted by an earthquake off the southern coast of Taiwan last month that severed undersea cables.

China Telecom, the country's largest fixed-line carrier, said in a statement issued at 4pm yesterday that it had "basically" restored all its international call and Internet services over the weekend after repairing the main cable.

The FNAL cable carries most of China's telecommunications with North America and Internet connections with the rest of the world, said Guan Li, spokeswoman for China Telecom.