Starlink sees record surge in Spain and Portugal during blackout

Mobile users in Iberia turn to Elon Musk’s satellite service amid widespread telecom outages.

The Starlink logo is displayed at their pavilion during the Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona, Spain, on March 5, 2025. Operated by Starlink Services, a subsidiary of SpaceX founded by Elon Musk, the satellite internet network now provides coverage to over 70 countries with the goal of delivering global broadband and mobile connectivity. Photo by Joan Cros/Nur

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

A massive blackout that swept across Spain and Portugal on Monday triggered an unprecedented surge in Starlink usage, as residents scrambled to find alternative internet and mobile connectivity during widespread telecom network failures. The event exposed serious weaknesses in the Iberian Peninsula’s digital infrastructure and has sparked fresh debate about how prepared telecoms systems are for large-scale power disruptions.

According to data reviewed by the Financial Times, use of Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, rose by over 35 percent above normal levels during the blackout. By Tuesday, usage was still up by 60 percent in Spain alone, as mobile networks struggled to recover from the disruption.

Luke Kehoe of internet analytics firm Ookla confirmed the dramatic increase in Starlink usage in the region, describing it as “record-breaking.” While Ookla did not release precise figures, Kehoe noted that thousands of people relied on the satellite service as traditional networks faltered. The service maintained functionality even as usage intensified, though the quality of connections slightly declined due to the surge in demand.

While Starlink usage in Spain and Portugal proved critical during the crisis, the limitations of satellite-based internet also became apparent. Access still depended on users having battery-powered mobile devices, and Starlink ground stations in Spain were not immune to the power issues. Still, users were able to connect to ground stations in other countries, such as Italy, mitigating some of the impact.

Iberian blackout reveals systemic telecom vulnerability

The cause of the blackout remains unclear. Spanish grid operator Red Eléctrica has yet to determine what triggered the cascading outages, although some experts suggest it may have stemmed from the electricity grid’s inability to handle an unusually high influx of solar power.

The power outage severely disrupted mobile and internet connectivity across Spain and Portugal. Ookla’s network reliability metric, known as network consistency, fell to just half its normal rate on Monday afternoon, highlighting the extent of the telecoms collapse.

Much of the disruption stemmed from thousands of mobile antennas being knocked offline. While backup generators kept some operational, they were insufficient to meet national demand. Claudio Fiandrino, a researcher at IMDEA Networks Institute in Madrid, said the issue boiled down to limited resources.

“Too many people were trying to access too few resources,” Fiandrino explained. “That’s why during the recovery phase it was hard to get connectivity stable.”

Backup systems prove insufficient

Mobile carriers like Vodafone España reported that about 70 percent of their sites were supported by backup generators when the outage struck. But as the blackout persisted into the night, mobile traffic remained low across large parts of the country. In regions such as Galicia, Castilla-La Mancha, and Murcia, mobile coverage dropped to just 20 percent of typical levels by 11 p.m.

Telefónica, one of Spain’s largest telecom operators, said it prioritized maintaining service for emergency infrastructures, such as hospitals and first responders. By Wednesday evening, the company had restored 95 percent of its mobile network and achieved full normality by Thursday.

Yet the situation revealed a major shortcoming in Spain and Portugal’s telecom strategy—insufficient investment in resilience. Kehoe of Ookla observed that the two countries are not alone in lacking extensive battery backup systems. In fact, many European countries suffer from the same vulnerabilities.

Comparing global telecom resilience strategies

A recent Ofcom report in the United Kingdom revealed that just one-fifth of mobile mast sites have the capacity to operate for more than an hour during a blackout. Fewer than five percent can continue functioning for six hours or more. The report estimated that it would cost over £1 billion to upgrade infrastructure to ensure four hours of emergency connectivity nationwide.

Telecoms firms argued that such investments are cost-prohibitive, particularly in countries where competition drives prices down and profit margins remain razor-thin. Spain and Portugal are prime examples, where low consumer prices make it difficult for companies to justify heavy infrastructure investments.

“In Spain, telecoms companies run on very tight margins,” Kehoe noted. “It’s much harder for them to invest in resilience than in markets like the Nordics, where average revenue per user is much higher and where backup infrastructure is already more developed.”

In contrast, countries like Norway mandate battery backups of at least two hours in urban areas and four hours in rural regions. Australia has gone a step further, launching public grants to fund 12-hour backup capacity in remote sites prone to extreme weather.

Governments urged to act on telecom fragility

As extreme weather events and energy-related crises become more frequent, governments across Europe are being urged to reassess the resilience of their telecom infrastructure. Grace Nelson, an analyst at the UK-based Assembly Research, called the Spanish outage a “clarion call” for regulators and lawmakers.

“The scale of the Spanish blackout is unprecedented,” Nelson said. “It highlights the urgent need for countries to rethink the vulnerability of their critical digital services.”

While satellite services like Starlink provided temporary relief during the blackout, experts warn that these are not a substitute for systemic reforms. Starlink's ability to support a sudden surge in users is limited, and its reliance on charged mobile devices limits its utility during prolonged outages.

The future of backup connectivity in Europe

The blackout in Spain and Portugal may prove to be a turning point for how countries prepare their telecom infrastructure for future crises. With traditional systems struggling under pressure, alternative technologies like Starlink may increasingly play a role in emergency connectivity—though they are not without limitations.

As governments and telecom providers analyze what went wrong, Starlink usage in Spain and Portugal will likely be cited as a key indicator of both the challenges and opportunities in building a more resilient digital future. The event has sparked fresh debate about funding, policy, and preparedness in a region already grappling with the growing effects of climate change on infrastructure.

Without significant investment, experts warn that millions of users across Europe could remain vulnerable during future outages. The lesson from Iberia is clear: resilience is no longer optional—it is essential.