The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is advising residents of Gamètì, Łutsel K’e and Paulatuk of a planned telecommunications service disruption during Northwestel’s scheduled network maintenance.

The work will take place from 11:00 p.m. on August 20, 2026, to 1:00 a.m. on August 21, 2026 (MST). Affected communities may experience interruptions to all voice and internet services for about 10 minutes.

In an emergency, residents should continue to call 9-1-1 first. However, access to 9-1-1 and other emergency telecommunications services may be temporarily unavailable during the maintenance window.

If you are unable to reach 9-1-1 during this period:

• Proceed to your local RCMP detachment in person for police assistance.
• For urgent medical needs, go directly to your local health centre.
• Contact local emergency response personnel through available community channels.

For non-urgent health advice, residents may call 8-1-1 before or after the maintenance period to speak with a registered nurse. Access to 8-1-1 may also be temporarily unavailable during the disruption.

The GNWT appreciates residents' patience and understanding while this essential maintenance work is completed.

For more information and updates, please visit the GNWT’s Public Safety page.

For media requests, please contact:

Peter Tah                              
Manager, Public Affairs and Communications
Department of Municipal and Community Affairs
Government of the Northwest Territories
Peter_Tah@gov.nt.ca           
(867) 767-9162 Ext: 21012