The first quarter of 2026 saw a troubling rise in internet disruptions worldwide, ranging from government-ordered shutdowns to cascading infrastructure failures. Unlike the same period in 2025, which recorded no state-directed blackouts, Q1 2026 featured prolonged government-mandated internet outages in Uganda and Iran. Meanwhile, power grid collapses in Cuba repeatedly cut off connectivity, military conflicts impacted networks in Ukraine and the Middle East, and severe weather, cable damage, and technical glitches caused additional interruptions. This article offers a concise overview of the most notable disruptions, drawing on data from the Cloudflare Radar Outage Center. Readers can follow Uganda's election blackout, Cuba's grid failures, and other key incidents via the internal links.
Government-Directed Shutdowns
Uganda's Election-Linked Blackout
In the run-up to the January 15 presidential election, Ugandan authorities ordered a nationwide internet shutdown. The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) instructed mobile network operators to suspend public internet access starting at 18:00 local time (15:00 UTC) on January 13. The UCC justified the move as necessary to “curb misinformation, disinformation, electoral fraud and related risks.” Traffic at the Uganda Internet Exchange Point (UIXP) plummeted from approximately 72 Gbps to just 1 Gbps. Cloudflare data confirmed a near-complete loss of traffic from Uganda, with connectivity remaining effectively zero until 23:00 local time on January 17, when service was partially restored after incumbent President Yoweri Museveni was declared winner of a seventh term. Full restoration was announced by the UCC on January 26, with MTN Uganda and Airtel Uganda confirming the lifting of restrictions on social media. The shutdown prompted lawsuits against the UCC and telecom providers, and drew sharp criticism from digital rights organizations such as CIPESA. Notably, Uganda had also blocked internet access during the 2021 election, despite authorities repeatedly promising that the 2026 election would be different, stating as recently as January 5 that “claims suggesting otherwise are false, misleading.”
Iran's Continued Internet Restrictions
Iran also experienced prolonged government-directed internet blackouts during Q1 2026, though the specific timing and duration are not fully detailed in this summary. The shutdowns represent a stark contrast to the absence of such measures in Q1 2025, reinforcing a pattern of state-imposed connectivity curbs that Iranian citizens have faced in previous years. The lack of observed restoration by the end of the quarter suggests the blackouts were extensive.
Power Outages and Infrastructure Failures
Cuba's National Grid Collapses
Cuba suffered three separate collapses of its national electrical grid during Q1 2026, each triggering widespread internet disruptions. The country’s aging power infrastructure has been prone to outages, and these events left many residents without both electricity and connectivity for extended periods. The repeated failures highlight the vulnerability of internet access in regions where the power grid is fragile.
Conflict-Driven Disruptions
Ukraine and Middle East Connectivity
Military action continued to disrupt internet connectivity in Ukraine, where ongoing conflict has persistently affected network infrastructure. Additionally, clashes in the Middle East impacted hyperscaler cloud infrastructure, though specific details of the affected providers and durations were not disclosed in this overview. These incidents underscore the collateral damage to digital services when active hostilities occur near critical data hubs.
Environmental and Technical Incidents
Severe Weather in Portugal
Severe weather conditions in Portugal caused internet outages during the quarter. Storms or other extreme events knocked out connectivity in parts of the country, though the exact meteorological triggers and geographic scope remain unspecified in this summary.
Cable Damage in Republic of Congo
In the Republic of Congo, damage to undersea or terrestrial cables disrupted internet services. Cable breaks can lead to prolonged outages, particularly in regions with limited redundancy, and this incident was no exception.
Verizon Wireless Outage in the United States
A technical problem hit Verizon Wireless in the United States, temporarily affecting mobile internet access for some customers. The cause and full extent of the issue were not detailed in the available report, but it serves as a reminder that even major carriers can face unexpected glitches.
Unexplained Issues in Guinea and the United Kingdom
Customers of internet providers in Guinea and the United Kingdom experienced brief connectivity disruptions due to unknown issues. The exact reasons for these outages have not been identified, but they were short-lived according to available traffic data.
This summary covers only the most notable disruptions observed in Q1 2026. For a more comprehensive list of detected traffic anomalies, visit the Cloudflare Radar Outage Center. Note that both bytes-based and request-based traffic graphs are used in the original analysis, with the choice of metric depending on which better illustrates the impact. The disruptions highlighted here reflect a quarter marked by both intentional shutdowns and unintended failures, emphasizing the fragility of global internet infrastructure.