{"id":5717,"date":"2026-01-09T16:57:18","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T16:57:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/english\/?p=5717"},"modified":"2026-01-22T14:52:48","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T14:52:48","slug":"network-monitoring-january-2026-internet-repression-in-times-of-protest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filter.watch\/english\/2026\/01\/09\/network-monitoring-january-2026-internet-repression-in-times-of-protest\/","title":{"rendered":"From Regional Disruptions to Nationwide Blackouts: Examining Iran\u2019s Internet Status Amid Escalating Protests"},"content":{"rendered":"

As protests in Iran escalate, the state's censorship tactics have shifted dramatically. While our <\/span>previous report<\/span><\/a> documented localized and layered disruptions, new data reveals a move toward a total nationwide blackout. This report analyzes user reports, social media data, and network traffic trends (IODA, Kentik, Cloudflare, ArvanCloud) to map this escalation. We examine the specific anatomy of the January 8 shutdown, the \"ghost connectivity\" and signal jamming experienced by users, the destabilization of domestic infrastructure, the correlation between protest peaks and network throttling, and the status of circumvention tools.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. The Anatomy of a Shutdown: From Layered Restrictions to Total Blackout<\/b><\/h4>\n

Localized and Layered:<\/b> From the onset of the protests through January 8, the pattern of internet disruptions can be characterized as <\/span>localized, urban-centric, volatile, and layered<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Geographic Disparities:<\/b> While total blackouts hit specific towns, neighboring cities often maintained connectivity. Within major hubs like Tehran, Shiraz, and Tabriz, outages were targeted at specific protest hotspots (e.g., Narmak, Molavi, and the Grand Bazaar in Tehran).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Layered Disconnections:<\/b> Mobile and fixed-line internet did not behave uniformly. For instance, on January 6 in Mashhad, users reported that fixed-line internet was cut for several hours while mobile data remained active. In other regions, access to the National Information Network (NIN) was occasionally preserved while international gateway traffic was either severed or heavily throttled. Discrepancies were even noted among fixed-line providers:\u00a0 on January 7, Irancell\u2019s TD-LTE and Asiatech services were severed in some areas while ADSL remained functional but severely throttled.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Shift to Total Blackout:<\/b> On January 8, the pattern shifted. Network monitoring charts (see below) revealed a synchronized collapse of connectivity:<\/span><\/p>\n