Power outage in Spain leads to usage surge of Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service
Revamped Rewrite:
In the aftermath of a massive power outage on the Iberian Peninsula, Spanish and Portuguese residents flocked to Elon Musk's Starlink for internet and mobile services, highlighting the fragility of traditional network systems. A surge in Starlink usage of 35% above average was observed as telecom coverage faltered, with Spain seeing a 60% jump compared to the norm on Tuesday.
Data from Ookla revealed "record" usage of Starlink in Spain, with thousands of users leveraging the satellite service, though exact numbers were not disclosed. Though connectivity dipped as more users joined, Starlink managed to remain operational during the blackout, with connections to sites in neighboring countries like Italy maintaining service.
However, satellite coverage might not suffice in catering to millions of users during future blackout events. Mobile device charge levels were essential for accessing Starlink service. Span's grid operator, Red Eléctrica, is yet to pinpoint the cause of the outage, with some experts linking it to Spain's electricity grid's inability to manage an unusually high supply of solar power.
Conventional mobile coverage in both countries took a heavy toll due to the power outage, sparking calls for Spain's mobile network to become more resilient. During the blackout, network consistency—a measure of service reliability—plummeted to as low as half its usual rate in the afternoon, according to Ookla. The scarcity of resources led to unstable connectivity during the recovery phase, explained Claudio Fiandrino of IMDEA Networks Institute in Madrid.
Telecom networks may have backup generation at certain sites, but these resources have limitations. Vodafone España reported that backup generators activated at 70% of its Spanish sites during the outage. Yet, many regions still grappled with low mobile traffic, with regions like Galicia, Castilla La Mancha, and Murcia managing just 20% coverage. Telefónica, another major provider, prioritized critical infrastructure for emergency services and hospitals during the power outages, restoring 95% of its mobile network within 24 hours and "full normality" by Thursday.
According to Ookla's Luke Kehoe, Spain and Portugal are not unique in the lack of significant backup generators in their mobile networks. In the UK, a recent report by Ofcom found that for brief power blackouts, about two-thirds of the population could make emergency calls for at least an hour, thanks to backup generators for around a fifth of mast sites. Yet, fewer than 5% of these sites have backup facilities of at least 6 hours. Upgrading mobile networks to ensure four hours of access to emergency services for nearly everyone would cost around £1bn, as per Ofcom.
Telecom companies noted the high costs associated with providing backup, according to the February report. The industry in Spain and Portugal operates on thin profit margins due to low prices, making investment in resilience challenging, remarked Kehoe. While the scale of Spain's outage was unprecedented, the increasing frequency of extreme weather events is compelling governments to focus more on the resilience of telecoms networks.
Norway mandates battery backup of two hours in cities and four hours in rural areas for operators. Australia offers publicly funded grants to operators for providing 12 hours of battery backup for sites in remote areas. The causes of the Spanish blackout remain undetermined, but its severity serves as a wake-up call for governments and regulators to prioritize resilience measures, said Grace Nelson of Assembly Research.
Additional reporting by Kieran Smith
Insights Integrated:
Countries worldwide recognize the importance of reinforcing telecom network resilience during power outages and extreme weather events. Since the April 2025 power outage, Spain and Portugal have vowed to investigate causes and implement stricter regulations for telecom providers requiring backup power capabilities and effective resilience planning. Strategies being considered include diversifying power sources, implementing redundant systems with adequate backup power, and increasing public investment in infrastructure modernization and cybersecurity. The recent power outage has served as a call to action for governments and regulators to prioritize resilience, triggering measures like mandating battery backup in Norway and offering grants for backup power in Australia.
- As technology advances and space-and-astronomy develop, gadgets like Elon Musk's Starlink might play a crucial role in power outage situations, but the lack of significant backup power systems in telecom networks, such as those in Spain and Portugal, has been revealed as a concern, necessitating stricter regulations and investments.
- In light of the recent power outage, the integration of science and technology, particularly the use of gadgets like Starlink for emergency communications, is being considered as a solution. However, traditional network systems' fragility has sparked discussions about the need for more resilient infrastructure, such as battery backup in urban areas or grant funding for backup power in remote locations, akin to the practices in Norway and Australia.
