Telecom says phone landline services have been restored to thousands of customers in Hawke's Bay.
About 18,000 customers were unable to ring out of the region or to cellphones from their landlines for about nine hours since about 11am on Tuesday.
Telecom says the problem started when electronic equipment suffered water damage during routine maintenance work at a Napier exchange building.
The damaged equipment has been replaced after technicians travelled from Palmerston North and Auckland with new parts. The service was restored about 8pm.
Disruptions were centred on Napier, Taradale and Takapau and the 111 emergency service was out between 11am and midday.
Cellphone and internet services weren't disrupted.
