Falling Telecom services in 2024: more incidents, lower impact on customers / Buzau, Constanța and Ilfov, counties with most incidents

Over 860 security incidents affected the Internet, telephony and TV services last year, up 70% compared to 2023, the good news being a decrease in impact on users and a reduction in remedial times, communications regulatory (ANCOM) announced on Tuesday. The most affected services were the mobile ones-voice, internet and data transmissions, and most incidents were registered in Buzău, Constanța and Ilfov counties.

“The year 2024 marked a significant increase in the total number of security incidents reported in the electronic communications sector, over 70% compared to the previous year. However, it is important to highlight the fact that the number of hours-users decreased, as well as the average of users affected per incident, which means more incidents, but with lower impairment in comparison. Each less than 10 thousand affected users, ”the report released by ANCOM on Tuesday.

Affected connections

As in previous years, mobile services – voice, internet and data transmissions – were the most commonly affected, due to the high degree of use and their dependence on interconnected infrastructures. Over 9.8 million connections have been affected in the case of mobile and data services, and in the case of mobile and SMS telephony, about 6.8 million connections.

The fixed services have registered a significant variation in affective environments, generated mainly by large punctual incidents.

Causes of incidents

External causes (unauthorized works, energy interruptions, fiber optic cuts, problems in partner networks) were again the main source of incidents, with 798 cases (compared to 421 in 2023).

Also, the deficiencies of electricity supply were the basis of over 55% of the total number of 861 incidents.

At the same time, the incidents caused by natural phenomena decreased significantly (from 45 to 2023 to 15 in 2024), and the system error produced 40 incidents.

The duration and extent of incidents

An important positive aspect found in 2024 is the reduction of the average duration of remediation of incidents, especially in the case of incidents caused by natural phenomena or problems of electricity supply. In parallel, the lost-use indicator lost-which reflects the actual degree of discomfort felt by users-was over 65% lower than in the previous year (154 million hours compared to 512 million hours in 2023). The average of affected users per incident also decreased compared to the previous year.

10 incidents with national impact

The incidents had a diversified geographical distribution, being reported in all counties, with a higher number of incidents in areas where communications networks depend on exposed infrastructures (public works, weather phenomena, electrical networks).

Moreover, 10 incidents with national impact were identified, their remediation being achieved in a shorter time than similar situations in previous years.

The incidents that affected users at national level have caused as an external problems (6 incidents), system errors (3 incidents) or human error (1 incident).

Buzău, the county with the most incidents. At the opposite pole – Bihor County

Buzău, Constanța and Ilfov counties were the most affected by such incidents, says the authority.

The data in the report show that the county with most incidents was Buzău with a total of 86 punctual incidents, to which are added the 10 from national level.

At the opposite pole in terms of the number of incidents/county, in 2024 a single county had less than 20 incidents, namely Bihor County.