Vodafone report logged 313 internet shutdowns in 52 countries

TL;DR: Vodafone said on September 18, 2026 that its report recorded 313 deliberate full internet shutdowns across 52 countries in 2025, with total blackout hours up 47% year over year. The report proposed a governance framework that treats shutdowns as a last-resort measure. The same regional roundup also covered Deutsche Telekom's Iridium-based IoT roaming expansion, Ericsson's drone-sensing trial in Finland, and Nokia's network automation work with Microsoft.

Vodafone said on September 18, 2026 that its Network Shutdowns in a Connected World report recorded 313 deliberate full internet shutdowns across 52 countries in 2025, with 47% more blackout hours than in 2024. Vodafone said these shutdowns disrupt healthcare, education, public safety and livelihoods, with disproportionate effects on low-income households and rural communities.

Vodafone's report proposed a Transparent Governance Framework under which any network shutdown should be used only as an exceptional measure of last resort. The framework says governments should show that no less restrictive alternative is available and that the expected benefits outweigh the social, economic and security harms.

Deutsche Telekom said it expanded its multi-orbit IoT roaming offer through a partnership with Iridium. Deutsche Telekom said the Iridium NTN Direct constellation is now commercially available to its IoT customers using compatible NB-IoT devices, adding to existing agreements with Skylo, Sateliot and OQ Technology for connectivity where terrestrial mobile coverage is unavailable.

Ericsson said it tested Integrated Sensing and Communication, or ISAC, with Finnish public-sector ICT provider Erillisverkot in Helsinki, including a live trial at Vuosaari Harbor. Nokia separately said it is working with Microsoft on AI-driven network automation by combining Nokia Data Suite with Microsoft Fabric, and Nokia also joined Scailarc and Elisa in a proof of concept using the 3GPP IMS Data Channel standard for secure non-verbal interaction during phone calls.