Large Internet and Mobile Network Outage in Spain

A widespread communication blackout left thousands in Spain without internet and landline services on Tuesday, even hampering emergency response systems in several regions.

Reports from local media indicate the outage began early on May 20, likely tied to a network upgrade by Telefónica, Spain’s leading telecom operator. Customers of Movistar and O2 both Telefónica subsidiaries faced fibre optic disruptions, leaving many without connectivity.

The impact was severe enough to force emergency services in multiple areas to provide backup contact numbers after the national emergency line ‘112’ similar to the UK’s 999 was affected.

While Telefónica’s upgrade is suspected to be the primary cause, Spanish outlet El Diario noted it’s unclear if other nationwide internet issues are directly linked to the company’s maintenance work.