Spain mandates mobile operators keep service for at least four hours during blackouts

Spain is preparing a royal decree that will require mobile‑network operators and digital‑infrastructure managers to have backup power capable of maintaining service for a minimum of four hours during electricity outages. The decree, to be adopted by the end of the year, sets phased coverage targets: at least 50 % of the population in the first year, 65 % in the second and 75 % by the end of the third year. It applies to operators serving at least 500,000 users or generating annual revenue above €50 million. Critical facilities such as network control centres must remain operational for 24 hours and emergency call centres must have their own backup systems.

The measure is a direct response to the massive Iberian blackout on 28 April 2025, which left more than 50 million people in Spain and Portugal without electricity for several hours, disrupting transport, airports, traffic signals and telecommunications. By treating mobile connectivity as a critical infrastructure, Madrid aims to ensure continuity of emergency communications and basic mobile services during future crises, a model that could be followed by other EU nations.