Angola Experiences Connectivity Disruption Affecting Backscatter Traffic

Angola experienced a significant internet connectivity disruption on Friday, August 14, 2026, primarily affecting a key traffic measurement signal. The event lasted approximately two and a half hours, beginning around 14:00 UTC and concluding by 16:30 UTC.

Technical Details

The disruption was characterized by a severe drop in the merit-nt signal, which serves as a proxy for aggregate internet connectivity by measuring backscatter traffic. The signal’s value fell by 92% from its peak during the event, recording a severity score of 13,619.

Other core network signals showed minimal deviation. Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) visibility, which reflects routing control plane stability, remained steady. Active probing for IPv4 prefix reachability also showed only a marginal 2% decline, indicating the data plane remained largely functional for probed targets. The cause has not been publicly attributed.

Connectivity was reported restored by the end of the observation period.