T-Mobile Cuts Network Cable to Stop Chinese State-Backed Hackers

T-Mobile’s security team physically severed a network cable in 2024 after tracing suspicious activity to a router operated by another telecommunications provider, according to Bloomberg reporting published Aug. 19, 2026. The move cut an access path associated with the broader Salt Typhoon espionage campaign targeting telecommunications infrastructure. T-Mobile said in November 2024 that it detected intrusion attempts originating from a connected wireline provider and quickly severed connectivity, while finding no evidence that attackers accessed sensitive customer information, including calls, voicemails or texts. The company also said it could not definitively identify the attacker as Salt Typhoon at the time. U.S. authorities have since attributed extensive telecom compromises to PRC-linked actors, with the FBI reporting activity detected in at least 80 countries and hundreds of U.S. victims. The newly disclosed cable-cutting episode highlights risks created by trusted connections between carriers and other network providers, highlighting concerns about securing critical communications infrastructure.