Pedestrians try to use their mobile phones on an unlit street during a power outage in Molins de Rei, Spain, on April 28, 2025. Spain and Portugal lost power shortly after 12.30pm local time in a massive blackout that idled public transport, airports and phone services, bringing the daily activities of millions to a halt. — Bloomberg
PARIS: People holding up smartphones searching for a signal were one of the most visible signs of Monday's massive power outage in Spain, Portugal and southwest France.
Telecom operators often have measures in place to weather such incidents, industry experts say, but there are limits to how much they can do to keep services available.
