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| Dutch emergency services hit by KPN telecoms outage | Dutch emergency services hit by KPN telecoms outage |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The Netherlands has been hit by its largest telecommunications outage in recent history, with emergency service numbers knocked out across the country. | The Netherlands has been hit by its largest telecommunications outage in recent history, with emergency service numbers knocked out across the country. |
| The disruption, which lasted four hours, originated from national carrier Royal KPN, and affected other providers linked to its network. | The disruption, which lasted four hours, originated from national carrier Royal KPN, and affected other providers linked to its network. |
| KPN said the cause was still unclear but did not appear to be a hack. | KPN said the cause was still unclear but did not appear to be a hack. |
| "We have no reason to think it was (a hack) and we monitor our systems 24/7," a company spokeswoman told Reuters. | "We have no reason to think it was (a hack) and we monitor our systems 24/7," a company spokeswoman told Reuters. |
| Landlines and mobile phones linked to the KPN network were also affected. | Landlines and mobile phones linked to the KPN network were also affected. |
| Speaking to public broadcaster NPO, KPN's board director Joost Farwerck said the network had been backed up to prevent any malfunction, but the backups had not worked. | |
| During the disruption, additional police were sent on to streets around the country. | During the disruption, additional police were sent on to streets around the country. |
| Authorities also advised people to go directly to hospitals or to police or fire stations for any emergencies. | Authorities also advised people to go directly to hospitals or to police or fire stations for any emergencies. |
| The government response prompted a backlash after people trying to dial the 112 emergency services number were told to contact a number used by editors of local newspaper De Telegraaf. | The government response prompted a backlash after people trying to dial the 112 emergency services number were told to contact a number used by editors of local newspaper De Telegraaf. |
| An alert was later sent out with the correct number, images of which have been posted by social media users. | An alert was later sent out with the correct number, images of which have been posted by social media users. |
| Justice and security minister Ferdinand Grapperhaus told De Telegraaf that the ministry was investigating how the wrong number was given out. | Justice and security minister Ferdinand Grapperhaus told De Telegraaf that the ministry was investigating how the wrong number was given out. |
| "Was it an office prank or was there really no plan?," tweeted Dutch Green politician Kathalijne Buitenweg. | "Was it an office prank or was there really no plan?," tweeted Dutch Green politician Kathalijne Buitenweg. |
| KPN is not the only telecoms provider to suffer network problems recently. Earlier this month, Vodafone experienced a "disruption" to its mobile and fixed-line broadband services, affecting subscribers in the UK and several other countries. | KPN is not the only telecoms provider to suffer network problems recently. Earlier this month, Vodafone experienced a "disruption" to its mobile and fixed-line broadband services, affecting subscribers in the UK and several other countries. |