Working around the clock, New Zealand's major operators have mostly restored services after the city's infrastructure was ravaged by last week's 6.3 magnitude earthquake.
Telecom NZ said some of its customers remain without phone or internet services due to both physical damage and loss of power.
But the operator's mobile network is fully functioning, all its exchanges are working - using a combination of mains and generated power - and the majority of its roadside cabinets have been restored.
At least 37 major fixed-line cables had been damaged in the quake, Telecom said, and have now been repaired.
Vodafone NZ yesterday informed its customers that its mobile network is operational, but “a small number” of cell sites remain off the air due to loss of power.
Some fixed-line and broadband customers are also still without service.
2degrees said it had now restored its Christchurch network. “Our network in Christchurch is operating, including full 2G and 3G services, and we’re meeting the needs of our customers,” CEO Eric Hertz said.
The company is deploying cell sites on wheels to provide stronger coverage in some of the more-affected areas of the city, he added.
TelstraClear, a subsidiary of Australia's Telstra, said around 6,000 of its customers were still without full services as of this morning. An estimated 25,000 cable modem subscribers were left unable to connect straight after the earthquake.
Its call center operations have also been impacted while it re-locates its Christchurch-based facility, resulting in increased call waiting times.
But TelstraClear added that its HFC network remains fully operational.
Both Telecom and TelstraClear have offered free residential landline calls for Christchurch residents for a limited time.
Operators also collaborated on restoration and emergency work, with 2degrees and Vodafone jointly providing Christchurch Earthquake Operations Centre staff with dual-SIM phones carrying cards from both.