Emergency services crippled by cellphone outage in Denmark

On November 28, 2024, Denmark experienced severe outages from one of its largest cellphone networks, TDC Net. The outages prevented individuals from contacting emergency services, which resulted in serious consequences for public safety. Hospitals were forced to reduce non-critical medical care due to the inability to communicate effectively, posing risks to patients seeking urgent assistance. Additionally, security services patrolled certain regions, searching for individuals in distress who could not reach help. Train and bus services faced delays overall, attributed to signal issues that plagued the transportation infrastructure, causing significant disruption and chaos at various stations. The incident was reported to have stemmed from a recent update conducted by TDC Net, which the company stated was likely the reason behind the failures. Although they had not found evidence suggesting that cyber attacks were involved, uncertainty loomed regarding the broader implications of the service outage. The Centre for Cyber Security and the Danish Defense Intelligence Service were involved in assessing the situation but could not definitively link the communication failures with external threats. As the situation progressed, TDC Net implemented a solution that allowed some customers to make calls again, albeit with reduced sound quality. They advised those needing to call 112, the emergency number, to follow a specific protocol by removing their SIM cards to successfully complete calls. This incident highlighted the critical nature of reliable communication systems in public health and safety sectors. The impact on emergency services and medical care stresses the need for robust support and contingency plans in place during unforeseen disruptions. As TDC Net works to resolve the ongoing issues, the focus remains on restoring confidence in their network and ensuring that all members of the public have unimpeded access to emergency services in the future.