National shutdown
Mobile Internet
Data and media reports indicate that mobile Internet has been suspended in Mozambique for a fifth time in as many days and the sixth time in the past two weeks, amidst protests after the presidential election results were announced.
- Total Duration 11 hours
Mozambique
- Population
- 33,635,160
- UN Classification
-
- Least Developed Country
Local impact
Local sources have told Internet Society Pulse that the Internet shutdown is ongoing to stop people from sharing live images from protests and curfews. Given that mobile Internet is the most popular means for Mozambique users to access the Internet (see below), the shutdown has only been imposed on mobile broadband, aside from fixed broadband offered by the incumbent Internet service provider, Telecomunicacoes de Mocambique. Sources suggest that this will be the shutdown in this series.
One report notes that several Mozambican civil society organizations have filed an injunction against the three major mobile phone service providers, TMcel, Vodacom, and Movitel, demanding that they immediately re-establish full access to the Internet. There are also reports of service blocking, including VPNs, since Thursday, 31 October, although limited data confirms this. Residents are encouraged to run OONI probe tests to measure whether popular Internet services can be connected via local networks. There are reports of vandalism targeting mobile network infrastructure.
Protesters in Mozambique set fire to a Vodacom antenna at Maputo International Airport. Reports indicate that internet and social media restrictions began on October 25. pic.twitter.com/KVmSw8gviF — The Eastleigh Voice (@Eastleighvoice) November 7, 2024
[Update 8 November] Mobile Internet services started returning to normal on Friday, 8 November, around 4:45 UTC.
Related documentation
No official cause documentation has been made public. One report notes that Internet Service Providers have sent messages to their clients claiming that access has been “temporarily restricted for reasons beyond our control”.
Other supporting information
Data from Cloudflare Radar, IODA, and Google's Transparency Report show drops in mobile connectivity across Mozambique.
Cloudflare Radar shows the overall connectivity for Mozambique dropping on 7 November around 17:30 UTC and returning to normal on 8 November around 4:45 UTC.
Wired / fixed networks continue to provide Internet access, but mobile networks have shut down access. This can be seen in the charts for mobile providers Vodacom Mozambique and Viettel Group.
Of note, Internet connectivity on Telecomunicacoes de Mocambique's network has been interrupted on several occasions since the first shutdown event on 25 October 2024.
This chart from IODA shows the decrease in Google Search results (the purple line). The orange line indicates that fixed Internet connectivity is continuing as normal.
The following charts from OONI are starting to show greater evidence of anomalies connecting to Facebook services (Facebook, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp. Claims of service blocking of other popular social media (X, TikTok, YouTube) and messaging services (Signal and Telegram) remain inconclusive. Residents are encouraged to run OONI probe tests to measure whether popular Internet services can be connected via local networks.
Social media
In what has become a daily occurrence this week, mobile #Internet connectivity has once aagain been shutdown in #Mozambique in the wake of election-related protests. Each shutdown this week has lasted 10-11 hours, impacting #Vodacom and #Movitel. (Earlier ones also disrupted… pic.twitter.com/iQvCskIrws — Cloudflare Radar (@CloudflareRadar) November 7, 2024
This was the last video I received from the Day 4 of noise strike in Maputo minutes before mobile internet was shut down 🛜 Residents in Maputo are striking since morning. The entire capital of #Mozambique is striking for days now #FreeMozambique #MozambiqueElections pic.twitter.com/vRqf82RxbS — Cídia Chissungo (@Cidiachissungo) November 7, 2024
Protesters in Mozambique set fire to a Vodacom antenna at Maputo International Airport. Reports indicate that internet and social media restrictions began on October 25. pic.twitter.com/KVmSw8gviF — The Eastleigh Voice (@Eastleighvoice) November 7, 2024
🇲🇿An injunction has been filed against Mozambique's telecoms over mobile internet curfews, raising concerns over access to digital services. pic.twitter.com/CwBiZDSf5K — BRICS+ NEWS (@BRICSGlobe) November 7, 2024
They’re holding us hostage in our own country. They’ve shut down the internet AGAIN violating our right to freedom of speech and to have access to the internet, mind you, said internet was PAID with our own money.#Mozambique #freemozambique #Endpolicebrutality #notmypresident
— Yolly♥♀ (@Bookaholictiruh) November 3, 2024
THEY HAVE CUT OUR INTERNET FULLY ONCE MORE! not limiting access to social media, not slowing down the internet but fully shutdown! #Mozambique #RiggedElections #FreeMozambique #DemocracyNow #EndPoliceBrutality #HumanRightsMatter
— A🧚🏽♀️ (@liliimone) November 3, 2024
Mozambique internet providers, you were warned, last week, not to cut the internet. You did not need this warning and now you're paying the price.This is the second tower that's gone up in flames. https://t.co/EYvXDvIVwM
— MightyAmazon Fella (@beans200) November 4, 2024 "Some schools were resorting to online classes to minimise the losses caused by the stoppage of activities due to the demonstrations contesting the election results. But the Internet shutdown is preventing some schools, particularly private ones, from continuing to teach. Companies now find distance working impossible, and online financial operations are also becoming very difficult." — All Africa
Media coverage
They’re holding us hostage in our own country. They’ve shut down the internet AGAIN violating our right to freedom of speech and to have access to the internet, mind you, said internet was PAID with our own money.#Mozambique #freemozambique #Endpolicebrutality #notmypresident
— Yolly♥♀ (@Bookaholictiruh) November 3, 2024
THEY HAVE CUT OUR INTERNET FULLY ONCE MORE! not limiting access to social media, not slowing down the internet but fully shutdown! #Mozambique #RiggedElections #FreeMozambique #DemocracyNow #EndPoliceBrutality #HumanRightsMatter
— A🧚🏽♀️ (@liliimone) November 3, 2024
Mozambique internet providers, you were warned, last week, not to cut the internet. You did not need this warning and now you're paying the price.This is the second tower that's gone up in flames. https://t.co/EYvXDvIVwM
— MightyAmazon Fella (@beans200) November 4, 2024 "Some schools were resorting to online classes to minimise the losses caused by the stoppage of activities due to the demonstrations contesting the election results. But the Internet shutdown is preventing some schools, particularly private ones, from continuing to teach. Companies now find distance working impossible, and online financial operations are also becoming very difficult." — All Africa