Internet Outages: The Growing Problem and Lessons From Traverse City

Yulia Chive

2 min read

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08-01-2025

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Internet Outages: The Growing Problem and Lessons from Traverse City

Internet outages are no longer a rare inconvenience; they're a growing problem impacting individuals, businesses, and entire communities. The disruption caused by these outages highlights the critical need for robust infrastructure and proactive mitigation strategies. A recent example, the extensive outage in Traverse City, Michigan, offers valuable lessons for improving internet resilience.

The Increasing Frequency and Severity of Outages

The reliance on the internet has exploded in recent years. From remote work and online schooling to essential services like healthcare and banking, our digital lives are utterly dependent on consistent connectivity. This heightened dependence makes even short outages significantly disruptive, while prolonged outages can have devastating consequences. Several factors contribute to this increase:

• Aging Infrastructure: Much of the existing internet infrastructure is outdated and struggling to keep pace with ever-increasing demand. This includes aging fiber optic cables, overloaded cell towers, and insufficient backup systems.
• Natural Disasters: Extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, wildfires, and floods, are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, causing widespread damage to infrastructure.
• Cyberattacks: Targeted cyberattacks on internet service providers (ISPs) can cripple service for thousands or even millions of users.
• Human Error: Accidental damage during construction or maintenance can also lead to significant outages.

The Traverse City Case Study: A Wake-Up Call

The extended internet outage in Traverse City, Michigan, served as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of even seemingly well-connected communities. While the specific cause may have been a combination of factors (e.g., aging infrastructure, human error), the ripple effects were far-reaching:

• Economic Disruption: Businesses suffered significant losses due to inability to operate online, process transactions, or communicate with customers.
• Social Isolation: Residents were cut off from communication with friends, family, and emergency services.
• Educational Disruption: Students were unable to access online learning resources.
• Healthcare Impacts: Telemedicine appointments were cancelled, impacting patient care.

Lessons Learned and Strategies for Improvement:

The Traverse City outage, and countless others, underscore the urgent need for several key improvements:

• Investing in Infrastructure: Significant investment is needed to modernize and expand internet infrastructure, including burying fiber optic cables to protect them from damage and building redundant systems to ensure service continuity during outages.
• Improved Disaster Preparedness: ISPs and communities need to develop comprehensive disaster preparedness plans, including backup power sources, alternative communication methods, and robust emergency response protocols.
• Enhanced Cybersecurity: Protecting against cyberattacks is crucial. This requires investing in advanced security measures and conducting regular security audits.
• Promoting Redundancy: Building redundant systems – multiple pathways for internet access – is key to minimizing the impact of outages. This can involve diversifying internet providers and utilizing alternative technologies.
• Community Collaboration: Collaboration between ISPs, government agencies, and community organizations is essential for effective disaster response and long-term infrastructure planning. Regular drills and exercises can improve response times and coordination.

The Future of Internet Resilience:

Addressing the growing problem of internet outages requires a multi-faceted approach. It's not just about technological solutions; it's also about policy changes, community engagement, and a renewed focus on the critical role of reliable internet access in modern society. The experience of Traverse City should serve as a catalyst for proactive measures to build a more resilient and reliable internet infrastructure for the future. The costs of inaction far outweigh the investment required to prevent future disruptions.