HONG KONG, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Investors, netizens and other anxious Internet users in Hong Kong had to endure another day racking their brains trying to connect with the outside world via Internet on Friday as authority said such dismay might continue in the coming week.

    The Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) of Hong Kong said here Friday that most users will continue to experience slow access despite its claim on "some improvement" in Internet access within the city.

    The OFTA said some submarine-cable maintenance ships had arrived at the scene of the damage since Thursday but initial reports suggested the damage is "substantial."

    Poor weather obstructed the maintenance ships' survey and assessment work, according to the OFTA, which expects that it might take longer to repair the damaged cables buried under the seabed.

    According to OFTA's original estimate, it took only five to seven days to repair the information lifeline.

    Internet users were advised by the OFTA to keep from downloading large files from overseas websites and avoid other non-essential activities that demand large bandwidth over international connections.