Mobile Internet Suspended in Mozambique, 4 November

Mozambique

4 November, 2024 18:30 - 5 November, 2024 05:00 (10 hours)

Local Impact

Data and media reports indicate that mobile Internet has been suspended in Mozambique for a second time in the past 48 hours and third time in the past 10 days amidst protests after the presidential election results were announced. Like the last times, fixed Internet continues to be available.

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.

[Update]

Mobile Internet services returned to normal on Wednesday, 5 November, around 5:00 UTC.

Experiences

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

The internet has been switched off completely in Mozambique. Protests against electoral fraud and marches in the country’s main cities are suffocating the dictatorial Frelimo government pic.twitter.com/gRRTm2nSE1

— Zito do Rosário Ossumane (@zito_ossumane) November 4, 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

Cause Documentation

No official cause documentation has been made public.

Data and Analysis

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 4 November around 18:30 UTC and returning to normal on 5 November around 5:00 UTC.

Cloudflare Radar chart showing drop in overall Internet connectivity in Mozambique over the past 24 hours.

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.

Cloudflare Radar chart showing drop in Internet connectivity on Vodacom Mozambique's network over the past 24 hours.

Cloudflare Radar chart showing drop in overall Internet connectivity on Viettel Group's network over the past 24 hours.

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.

Cloudflare Radar chart showing several drops in Internet connectivity on Telecomunicacoes de Mocambique's network over the past 2 weeks

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.

Chart from IODA that shows several drops in connectivity to Google search in Mozambique since 26 October.

The following chart from OONI shows there is no conclusive evidence that popular social media services are being blocked, similarly for popular messaging services Facebook Messenger, Signal, Telegram, and WhatsApp.

Chart showing connectivity anomalies and failures to popular social media sites from Mozambique networks.

Conversations

A third mobile #Internet shutdown is underway in #Mozambique – the second in the last 24 hours. Traffic on @Tmcel_mz, #Vodacom, and #Movitel fell sharply starting just before 20:00 local (18:00 UTC).

Follow the current status at https://t.co/eUrOwVdeJq https://t.co/2l5KTzwz7j https://t.co/qinemZffJM pic.twitter.com/Saz4T028hB

— Cloudflare Radar (@CloudflareRadar) November 4, 2024

Third mobile internet shutdown in #Mozambique confirmed:
25 Oct- 1st Total internet shutdown (18 hours)
26 Oct- 2 Nov- Social media
Shutdown
3 Nov- 2nd Total Internet Shutdown (12 hours)
4 Nov- Back to social media until 5pm
4 Nov- Right now (9pm) Total internet shutdown 🛜

— Cídia Chissungo (@Cidiachissungo) November 4, 2024

#Mozambique
In Mozambique, mobile operators are without internet access, not even with VPNs.
The internet went down around 8 PM today (11/03), an hour before Venâncio Mondlane’s live session.
Internet access is only possible via satellite or broadband. https://t.co/cfsWMzlzm4

— POVO NO PODER🇲🇿 (@lidiaazzz) November 3, 2024

Mozambique’s government has imposed its second Internet shut down in two weeks, amid election result protests.

The opposition party alleges electoral fraud, prompting protests and clashes with police in the country’s capital Maputo. pic.twitter.com/JnG8nWBN20

— African News feed. (@africansinnews) November 4, 2024

Internet Shutdowns

Mozambique