The Shocking Surge in Network Outages: What It Means for Your Business
Understanding the Rise of Network Outages: Insights from ThousandEyes' Reports
In an increasingly digital world, network reliability is paramount for businesses to operate smoothly. ThousandEyes, a network intelligence platform, has been tracking outages across Internet Service Providers (ISPs), cloud services, and collaboration applications, providing valuable insights into performance trends and points of concern. Recent reports reveal a significant surge in global network outages, prompting us to explore the underlying causes and implications for businesses.
A Sharp Spike in Outage Events
In the most recent week studied, ThousandEyes reported a staggering 664 global network outage events between March 17-23, 2025, representing a dramatic 76% increase from the previous week’s 378 outages. More alarming is that, within the United States, the count elevated to 287 outages, marking an 86% rise from the prior week.
Breakdown of the Surge
The recent surge can be categorized by the type of service:
- ISP Outages: Globally, ISP outages increased from 237 to 316.
- Public Cloud Network Outages: This category saw the most significant climb, from 98 to 258 outages.
- Collaboration App Network Outages: Notably, collaboration tools experienced their first outages, rising from zero to eight globally.
Notable Incident Reports
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Lumen Outage on March 20, 2025:
A widespread outage impacted customers across regions including the U.S., Australia, and parts of Europe, lasting 49 minutes. This incident underscores the complexity and interconnectivity of modern networks, where single service disruptions can ripple across the globe. -
Cogent Communications Outage on March 21, 2025:
Another significant event, this outage impacted multiple regions worldwide, lasting 13 minutes. Such incidents raise questions about the reliability of Tier 1 service providers and how dependent we have become on their infrastructure.
Historical Context
Prior weeks’ reports highlight fluctuations in outage numbers over the first quarter of 2025. For example, the report from March 10-16 noted a decrease to 378 outages, followed by the unprecedented spikes. Examining these trends is crucial for understanding seasonal fluctuations, potential infrastructure stress, or increased service demands.
Continual Monitoring
ThousandEyes, through ongoing monitoring of Internet performance, enables companies to proactively manage their network health. They provide weekly updates detailing service delivery performance and the frequency of outages.
Implications for Businesses
The uptick in outages poses several implications:
- Operational Resilience: Businesses must prepare for potential service interruptions by investigating multi-provider strategies or increasing redundancy in their technology stacks.
- User Experience: Continuous disruption can significantly diminish user trust and satisfaction. Companies should communicate transparently with their users during outages and provide timely updates on service recovery efforts.
- Investment in Infrastructure: There is a clear need for ISPs and cloud service providers to invest in better infrastructure and disaster recovery plans to mitigate these outages' impacts.
Conclusion
As we navigate through an increasingly interconnected cyber landscape, understanding the dynamics of network uptime becomes essential. The findings from ThousandEyes illustrate a critical trend affecting countless businesses, urging stakeholders to prioritize robust solutions that safeguard their operations against such disruptions.
To stay updated and informed about the latest in network performance, it’s prudent to monitor insights from platforms like ThousandEyes, which not only analyze current events but also forecast future patterns in networking reliability.
This analysis serves as a reminder of the need for diligence in managing digital assets, where waiting for a disruption to occur often comes too late. Transitioning into a proactive approach is no longer optional; it’s a necessity for any organization aiming to thrive amidst the complexities of modern technology infrastructure.
