According to some executives in the telecoms industry, the current energy crisis could lead to a winter of mobile network outages across Europe.

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent energy crisis, European households are facing a surge in heating prices this winter. However, according to some telecoms executives, another result could be mobile network blackouts across the entire continent.

They claim that many European countries do not have enough back-up systems in place that could mitigate power cuts, raising the possibility of mobile network blackouts once tower batteries run out of power.

In France, an electricity firm called Enedis proposed an action plan in the event of any shortages, including power blackouts of up to two hours in a worst-case scenario. Specific parts of the country would be affected by these cuts on a rotating basis. Priority customers such as hospitals, police, and government facilities would be excluded. According to the firm, it is up to local authorities whether the infrastructure of telecoms operators should be added to the list of exclusions.

According to the sources, telecoms operators in Sweden and Germany are warning against the potential risks any power shortages or rationing would have on networks. The Italian telecoms lobby, on the other hand, said it wants their mobile network to be exempt from any energy outages.

The main problem appears to be insufficient energy storage in Europe to handle sudden energy shortages. Apparently, European telcos are working with Ericsson and Nokia on potential solutions that could mitigate part of the risk. These include reviewing their networks to reduce extra power usage and modernising their equipment with the help of more power-efficient radio designs. However, these seem to be more long-term solutions rather than actions that can be taken overnight.

Source: Telecoms.com