National shutdown
Mobile Internet
Data and media reports indicate that mobile Internet has been suspended in Mozambique for a fourth time in as many days and the fifth 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
Data and media reports indicate that mobile Internet has been suspended in Mozambique for a fourth time in as many days and the fifth time in the past two weeks 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 7 November] 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 the shutdowns will finish by Friday, 8 November.
[Update 7 November] Mobile Internet services returned to normal on Thursday, 7 November, around 4:45 UTC.
Related documentation
No official cause documentation has been made public.
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 6 November around 17:30 UTC (an hour earlier than the last three shutdowns) and returning to normal on 7 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
The 4th #mobile #Internet shutdown in the last two weeks is underway in #Mozambique, with traffic from Vodacom, Movitel, and possibly TDM dropping just before 21:00 local (19:00 UTC) amidst ongoing protests over recent election results. See more at https://t.co/eUrOwVdeJq pic.twitter.com/MbLWlwmChN — Cloudflare Radar (@CloudflareRadar) November 5, 2024
Social media and mobile internet restricted in Mozambique amid election protests https://t.co/XMvqxe9A2E @TheRecord_Media — pathfinder iznogood (@hamzawi_am73494) November 5, 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