Outages Highlight the Need for Network Dependability
Over the past year, significant outages from ATT and Verizon disrupted millions of subscribers nationwide. While official reports logged hundreds of thousands of complaints in each of these instances, the actual impact was likely far more extensive, affecting unreported users and businesses reliant on cellular connectivity for services like tracking systems, payment terminals, and more.
Why This Matters
While network outages are not uncommon, this incident underscores the critical role of cellular networks in supporting essential business functions like fleet operations and sales terminals. For businesses where cellular connectivity is a lifeline, such outages can have severe consequences.
Cellular networks are held to high standards of reliability, often promising 99.999% uptime (just over 5 minutes of downtime annually). An 11-hour outage is a stark deviation from this benchmark, emphasizing the need for robust infrastructure and proactive measures to prevent future failures.
Key Lessons for IT Leaders
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Diversify Wireless Connectivity
Businesses relying on single-carrier cellular connectivity should explore alternatives like multi-SIM or eSIM options, satellite communication, or hybrid solutions combining LoRa, Sigfox, or Wi-Fi. Redundancy can mitigate the impact of carrier-specific outages. - 2
Invest in Monitoring and Automation
Network outages are inevitable, but their frequency and duration can be minimized with better monitoring and observability tools. Investing in network automation, AI-driven performance management, and proactive analytics can help identify and address issues before they escalate. - 3
Adopt Advanced Practices
Carriers and enterprises must embrace cutting-edge technologies like businesswide networking fabrics and digital twins. These tools allow for simulations to test the impact of network changes across hundreds or thousands of devices simultaneously, reducing the risk of widespread failures.
Moving Forward
Network outages remind us of the inherent complexity of modern connectivity systems. While perfect reliability is unattainable, adopting advanced tools and practices can significantly reduce downtime and improve resilience. Businesses and carriers alike must prioritize these investments to keep pace with the growing demands of a connected world.
These outages from AT&T (February 22) and Verizon (October 1) serve as a wake-up call, not just for telecom providers but for all enterprises reliant on digital infrastructure. It’s time to learn, adapt, and build systems that can better withstand the challenges of an increasingly connected future.
We Can Help
Network outages remind us of the inherent complexity of modern connectivity systems. While perfect reliability is unattainable, adopting advanced tools and practices can significantly reduce downtime and improve resilience. Businesses and carriers alike must prioritize these investments to keep pace with the growing demands of a connected world.
These outages from AT&T (February 22) and Verizon (October 1) serve as a wake-up call, not just for telecom providers but for all enterprises reliant on digital infrastructure. It’s time to learn, adapt, and build systems that can better withstand the challenges of an increasingly connected future.
This is where we at Sonoran Integrations can help! The advanced virtual SIM (vSIM) technology we provide ensures robust connectivity. Unlike traditional SIMcards, vSIM technology enables devices to connect automatically to the strongest carrier signal available, whether on 4G LTE or 5G networks. This approach eliminates the reliance upon the coverage of a single provider, ensuring users receive optimal connectivity at all times.
For more information on implementing vSIM technology for your business and/or to arrange a trial period, please reach out via phone at (480) 948-3040 or via email at sales@sonoranintegrations.com. You can also contact us here.
