TLDR
- Afghanistan’s blackout affected 13 million people, halting blockchain access.
- Blockchain’s censorship resistance is limited without a decentralized internet.
- Roam Network aims to provide a decentralized internet to support blockchain.
- Decentralized networks like Helium and World Mobile are growing alternatives.
The recent 48-hour internet shutdown in Afghanistan has sparked widespread concern about the vulnerability of decentralized technologies. Despite blockchain’s promise of secure, censorship-resistant transactions, the event exposed a fundamental weakness: its reliance on centralized internet service providers. The blackout, which affected 13 million people, underscores the need for alternative internet infrastructure solutions that ensure blockchain networks remain functional even when traditional providers fail. This situation has called attention to the importance of decentralized internet infrastructure.
Afghanistan’s Internet Shutdown and Its Effects
On October 1, 2025, Afghanistan experienced a near-total internet blackout that lasted for about 48 hours. The disruption, which affected millions of citizens, was reportedly ordered by the Taliban administration. Although the government later attributed the outage to technical issues with fiber optic cables, the timing and scale of the disruption have raised concerns about censorship and government control over internet access.
This event impacted around 13 million people, cutting them off from the digital world. The internet shutdown also disrupted many blockchain activities, highlighting a significant challenge for decentralized networks. While blockchains aim to provide a censorship-resistant platform for transactions, the outage showed how vulnerable these systems are to interruptions in internet connectivity.
Decentralized Internet Infrastructure Gains Attention
The Afghanistan blackout has accelerated calls for decentralized connectivity solutions. Many blockchain advocates argue that the promise of blockchain technology cannot be fully realized unless the underlying internet infrastructure is also decentralized. If blockchain remains reliant on centralized providers, it is susceptible to government interventions and technical failures, which can render it ineffective during outages.
Michail Angelov, co-founder of Roam Network, described the Afghanistan outage as a “wake-up call.” He emphasized that when internet connectivity is controlled by a few centralized providers, the core promise of blockchain is compromised. His comments underline the importance of building decentralized infrastructure to support blockchain networks during disruptions like the one in Afghanistan.
Decentralized Wireless Networks Offer a Solution
Projects like Roam Network are working on solutions to decentralize internet infrastructure. Roam aims to create a smartphone-powered decentralized wireless network, which will allow users to access the best available internet connection, even during outages.
The network uses a crowdsourced approach, collecting data on mobile signal strength and coverage to create a dynamic map that helps users find the most reliable connection.
Roam’s system, which includes eSIM technology, can automatically select the optimal network. This means users will still have access to blockchain applications and services, even if traditional internet providers go offline. Angelov highlighted the importance of ensuring that blockchain services remain available in the face of centralized infrastructure failures.
Growing Support for Decentralized Connectivity
Other decentralized connectivity projects, such as World Mobile and Helium, are also working to reduce the reliance on centralized internet service providers. These projects are building large-scale, decentralized wireless networks that are powered by local users. They aim to create alternative internet connections that are less vulnerable to government control or technical issues.
World Mobile, for instance, has over 2.3 million daily active users across more than 20 countries. Helium, another major player in decentralized connectivity, operates in over 190 countries and claims to have more than 1.3 million daily users. Both networks aim to create a more robust, decentralized internet infrastructure that will support blockchain applications and provide a reliable connection, regardless of local disruptions.
The Need for a Decentralized Internet Backbone
The recent events in Afghanistan have made it clear that blockchain networks cannot reach their full potential if they depend on centralized internet providers. While blockchain technology offers a way to bypass traditional financial systems and reduce censorship, it is not immune to interruptions in connectivity. The Afghanistan blackout serves as a reminder that decentralization must extend beyond the protocol layer and into the very infrastructure that supports internet connectivity.
Without decentralized internet infrastructure, blockchain’s promise of financial freedom and censorship resistance remains limited. Until this issue is addressed, the benefits of blockchain may continue to be undermined by government control over internet access. The Afghanistan blackout has highlighted the urgency of developing decentralized solutions that ensure connectivity, even when centralized systems fail.
