In recent months, major networks and LTE/Broadband providers are increasingly experiencing network outages that have impacted not only Public Safety, but also limiting citizens in our country access to 911 services. TUSA Consulting Services believes these occurrences are preventable, especially when it involves critical communications for emergency services. The notion that sporadic or prolonged outages are acceptable undermines the reliability that public safety professionals need to perform their duties effectively. Instead of addressing the root causes of these outages, some providers seem to be minimizing them instead of being transparent to the root cause and creating plans to prevent future outages.

The allure of new technologies and advanced features has attracted many emergency services to adopt systems offered by these major network and LTE/Broadband providers. However, TUSA Consulting Services warns against being seduced by their “shiny new toys” without considering the implications of service reliability. The reality is stark: over the past five years, there have been numerous significant outages affecting LTE/Broadband providers, highlighting a troubling trend. Such incidents clearly demonstrate that the promises made by these providers often fall short when it matters most.

For public safety professionals, communication is not just a convenience; it is a lifeline. TUSA Consulting Services emphasizes that the ability to communicate without interruption is paramount, particularly in adverse weather conditions and during emergencies when the demand for reliable communication is highest. The expectation should always be that communication networks are robust and resilient, capable of withstanding any challenge thrown their way. Anything less is simply unacceptable.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has strongly urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to enhance its oversight of industry efforts to bolster the resilience of wireless networks, particularly concerning emergency communications for public safety. In its reports, the GAO has highlighted the critical need for robust and reliable communication infrastructures that can withstand and quickly recover from disruptions. The GAO believes that more rigorous monitoring and stricter enforcement of standards are essential to ensure that wireless networks remain operational during emergencies, thereby safeguarding the effectiveness and reliability of public safety communications.

GAO-18-198: FCC Should Improve Monitoring of Industry Efforts to Strengthen Wireless Network Resiliency; http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-18-198

 

Timeline of Major Cellular Networks & LTE/Broadband Outages (2021 – 2023)

2021

  • February 2021: A severe winter storm in Texas caused widespread power outages, leading to significant disruptions in cellular and LTE services across the state. Public safety communications were severely impacted as emergency services struggled to maintain reliable communication.
  • June 2021: A major U.S. cellular provider experienced a nationwide outage due to a network software failure. The disruption lasted several hours and affected both consumer and public safety communications, highlighting vulnerabilities in the provider’s infrastructure.

2022

  • March 2022: A large-scale outage affected a major provider’s LTE network on the East Coast due to a fiber cut caused by construction work. The incident disrupted emergency communication systems in multiple states, prompting a review of contingency plans for such physical infrastructure damage.
  • August 2022: A significant outage impacted on a major provider’s network, causing disruptions in cellular and broadband services across several Midwest states. The outage was attributed to a hardware failure in the network’s core infrastructure, affecting public safety agencies’ ability to communicate during emergency situations.
  • December 2022: A major cellular network experienced a prolonged outage due to a cyberattack targeting its infrastructure. The incident affected emergency radio communications and LTE services, causing delays in response times for public safety officials and highlighting the need for stronger cybersecurity measures.

2023

  • April 2023: Severe weather, including tornadoes and heavy storms, led to widespread network outages across the Southeast U.S. The outages disrupted cellular and broadband services, with emergency communication systems suffering significant downtime, affecting public safety response efforts.
  • July 2023: A nationwide outage affected a major cellular provider’s network due to a software update that has gone wrong. The disruption impacted millions of users, including emergency services, leading to calls for more rigorous testing and contingency planning for critical updates.
  • October 2023: A major earthquake on the West Coast resulted in significant damage to telecommunications infrastructure, causing extensive outages in cellular and LTE networks. The event highlighted the critical need for resilient and redundant communication systems for public safety during natural disasters.
  • December 2023: Another major provider experienced a significant outage due to an internal routing error. The outage affected emergency services in several metropolitan areas, raising concerns about the reliability of existing network management practices and the importance of robust failover mechanisms.

2024

  • January 15, 2024: A significant outage affected a major cellular provider’s LTE network in the Northeast U.S. due to a software malfunction. The disruption lasted for several hours, impacting both consumer services and emergency communication systems, leading to delays in emergency response efforts.
  • March 10, 2024: Severe winter storms in the Midwest caused widespread power outages and disrupted cellular and broadband services. Emergency radio communications were severely affected, with public safety officials struggling to maintain reliable communication during rescue operations.
  • May 5, 2024: A major provider experienced a nationwide outage due to a critical hardware failure in its core network. The incident affected millions of users, including public safety agencies, and prompted urgent reviews of infrastructure resilience and disaster recovery protocols.
  • July 8, 2024: Significant outages reported in Southeastern Texas after Hurricane Beryl made landfall. 911 and emergency radio communications were severely disrupted to the point of local PSAP’s being rerouted to other jurisdictions. As of July 11, 2024, there has been multiple reports of major disruptions in connectivity in adjacent states for consumer services.
  • September 24, 2024: Widespread cell service outages occurred across the affected regions, particularly in North Carolina, significantly impacting the ability to make 911 calls due to downed cell towers and infrastructure damage caused by the storm; while some emergency services managed to reroute calls to landlines, large portions of the area experienced a lack of cellular connectivity, making emergency communication difficult.
  • October 5, 2024: Significant cell service disruptions and potential 911 outages were reported in affected areas, with many cell sites going offline due to power outages caused by the storm, although emergency services generally prioritize keeping 911 lines operational even with reduced network capacity.

After reviewing these factual examples, TUSA Consulting Services urges a reassessment of reliance on commercial network and LTE/Broadband providers for public safety communications. There needs to be a shift towards more dependable, mission-critical communication systems that guarantee connectivity under all circumstances. Public safety officials must be equipped with communication tools that they can trust implicitly, ensuring that they can respond swiftly and effectively to protect communities and save lives. The normalization of outages by major LTE/Broadband providers is a dangerous narrative that must be challenged to ensure the safety and efficiency of our emergency services.

TUSA Consulting Services is an independent consultant providing professional services to Public Safety. TUSA does not sell, provide, or represent any equipment or managed services that could deter our professional opinion towards anything other than a vendor agnostic solution to support the customer identified needs.