Published October 15, 2010

Update: Phone service is restored.

Update: BU says two large bundles of fiber optic cables were severed at about 5:30 a.m., affecting “large segments of the Back Bay and South End, including most of the Boston University Charles River Campus and parts of the Medical Campus.”

Update: Verizon says BU phone service will be restored by the end of the day. A spokesman said a private contractor doing road work near the Prudential Center cut the cable that provides landline phone services to the university. The problem is isolated to BU and does not affect customers elsewhere, as previously thought.

From Boston University, 9:14:

The entire University telephone system has a major system failure at this time. It effects our  portion of the city of Boston. We are not able to receive any incoming telephone calls. The BU Police is temporarily unable to receive telephone calls. For Police, Fire, and Medical emergencies dial 9-1-1 until further notice. Verizon is currently working to resolve this problem. Updates will be forthcoming.

Because WBUR is part of the BU phone network, the phones here are useless, and our engineers are rigging up workarounds so listeners can still call in to On Point. (At this moment, they can’t.) Verizon is investigating whether this issue extends beyond BU’s campus.

…Meanwhile, @KseniaL tweets: “What’s a landline?”

Published October 15, 2010

What’s news on a cold, wet Friday morning in Boston:

In Boston, Bernanke Says Fed May Do More

The Federal Reserve chairman, Ben S. Bernanke, sent a clear signal on Friday that the central bank was poised to take additional steps to try to fight persistently low inflation and high unemployment. (New York Times)

Storm Brings Wind, Rain To New England

The region is in the midst of a nor’easter that could bring 1 to 3 inches of rain and wind gusts of up to 50 miles per hour during the Friday morning commute. Drivers are being warned to watch out for pooling water on the roads. (AP)

Cahill Suspends Lottery Ads As State Investigates

The state attorney general has announced she’s investigating the allegations swirling around Tim Cahill and state lottery ads. Meanwhile, the lottery office has decided to suspend the advertisements until the attorney general’s review is complete. (WBUR)

Fire Causes $500K Damage In Boston High-Rise

Fire department spokesman Steve MacDonald said the blaze broke out at 4:55 a.m on the 16th floor of the building at 125 High St. (Globe)

Justin Bieber Makes Fun Of Tom Brady’s Hair

Let’s stipulate that Tom Brady could sit on Justin Bieber and crush the puny little pop puppy like a bug. So no wonder 12 was downright amazed yesterday when our man in Foxboro informed him that The Bieb was ripping his hairdo in a new video! (The Inside Track)

What are you reading?