On May 20, 2025, Spain experienced a significant telecommunications outage, disrupting mobile phone networks and fixed broadband connections as well as Artificial Intelligence services and Cloud Services accessed via Internet across the country. The incident, which began around 2:00 AM CET, affected various major providers leaving millions without connectivity in cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, and Bilbao. This marked Spain’s second major infrastructure disruption in a month, following a massive power blackout on April 28 that crippled the Iberian Peninsula.
The recent mobile phone network outage primarily stemmed from a botched network update by Spain’s leading telecommunications provider. The company attributed the outage to a planned network upgrade that unexpectedly affected its MPLS data-switching network, critical for enterprise and emergency communications.
The issue disrupted fixed-line and internet services for several hours, including AI online services. Downdetector reported that 72% of complaints involved fixed broadband outages, 18% cited no signal, and 10% noted total service blackouts.
The outage underscored ongoing concerns about Spain’s telecom infrastructure resilience, especially following the April 28 power failure that caused a near-total collapse of mobile networks. This latest disruption has prompted calls for a comprehensive review of Spain’s Internet services and telecom infrastructure. As investigations continue, stakeholders are urging investments in Internet independent Artificial Intelligence solutions and resilience to prevent future service outages, particularly as reliance on Artificial Intelligence driven solutions grows.
