Blackout: Mobile network disappeared in Spain in one go, cyber attack is not the reason
Blackout: Due to this, landline telephone service was most affected. There was also widespread problem in voice call services. Emergency services (112 number) also had to issue a new number in many areas. Telefónica said in a statement, "We have done some network upgrades, which have affected some services. We are working to solve the problem."
Spain has witnessed another crisis, this time as the country's biggest mobile network ground to a halt. This occurred just weeks following a blackout of huge proportions that affected the country and brought about significant economic losses. This issue arose following an upgrade of the network carried out by Spain's biggest phone company, Telefónica.
Landline phone service was most hit as a result of this. Many areas also experienced widespread issues in voice calling services. Emergency services (number 112) even needed to publish a new number in most of these areas. "We have made some network upgrades that affected some of our services. We are working to fix the issue," Telefónica stated.
112 services were most affected in Aragon, Extremadura, the Basque Country, and Valencia, though service was subsequently reinstated in Valencia, Aragon, La Rioja, and Andalusia regions. Complaints started coming in at about 2 a.m., based on data from Downdetector.
72% of those reporting faced network outages, 18% had no signal, and 10% were completely down. Spain's Ministry of Digital Transformation said it was monitoring the situation and seeking timelines and technical details from telecoms companies.
The network problems came after an unprecedented power crisis disrupted life in Spain and Portugal in late April, with outages lasting up to 23 hours. Traffic lights, payment terminals, metros, and airports were down. Hundreds of flights were canceled. A cyber attack is suspected to be behind this massive power outage, and a government investigation has begun.
The Spanish government has ordered a thorough investigation into the matter involving the High Court, security agencies and technical experts. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Beatriz Corredor, head of power grid operator REE, have clarified that the power outage was not caused by renewable energy.
