Vodafone is hoping to restore about 60 percent of its cellphone coverage in Gisborne's town centre by tonight.
Chief technology officer, Tony Baird, told Checkpoint the network was trying to get five of its 15 towers in central Gisborne back up tonight.
He says satellite dishes were flown in earlier today.
One site was reconnected but because thirteen hundred connections were made instantly, it was locked down for emergency responders.
