Narrative:

A major road construction project is underway on; and adjacent to; airport property. Construction workers cut all commercial telephone lines to the control tower at approximately XA00 local time. This resulted in a total loss of commercial lines; internet connectivity; and the 'crash phone' to the local fire department and 911 operations center. We established procedures with on-field county aviation employees and nearby mco tower in the event we needed to roll emergency vehicles. The phone company informed us that commercial telephone lines would be returned to service some time the next day. We stressed the importance of our connection; and they reconsidered our priority. Phone lines were restored approximately 3 hours 45 mins later. There were no incidents during the outage. This was the 5TH time construction crews have caused some level of equipment loss at orl ATCT since their road project began 3 months ago. This project is expected to continue for the next 3-4 yrs. The flying public cannot tolerate such degradations of safety on such a rampant scale.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ORL TWR CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING TELEPHONE COM FAILURES CAUSED BY CONSTRUCTION PERSONNEL.

Narrative: A MAJOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IS UNDERWAY ON; AND ADJACENT TO; ARPT PROPERTY. CONSTRUCTION WORKERS CUT ALL COMMERCIAL TELEPHONE LINES TO THE CTL TWR AT APPROX XA00 LCL TIME. THIS RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS OF COMMERCIAL LINES; INTERNET CONNECTIVITY; AND THE 'CRASH PHONE' TO THE LCL FIRE DEPT AND 911 OPS CTR. WE ESTABLISHED PROCS WITH ON-FIELD COUNTY AVIATION EMPLOYEES AND NEARBY MCO TWR IN THE EVENT WE NEEDED TO ROLL EMER VEHICLES. THE PHONE COMPANY INFORMED US THAT COMMERCIAL TELEPHONE LINES WOULD BE RETURNED TO SVC SOME TIME THE NEXT DAY. WE STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR CONNECTION; AND THEY RECONSIDERED OUR PRIORITY. PHONE LINES WERE RESTORED APPROX 3 HRS 45 MINS LATER. THERE WERE NO INCIDENTS DURING THE OUTAGE. THIS WAS THE 5TH TIME CONSTRUCTION CREWS HAVE CAUSED SOME LEVEL OF EQUIP LOSS AT ORL ATCT SINCE THEIR ROAD PROJECT BEGAN 3 MONTHS AGO. THIS PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 3-4 YRS. THE FLYING PUBLIC CANNOT TOLERATE SUCH DEGRADATIONS OF SAFETY ON SUCH A RAMPANT SCALE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.