We live in an increasingly connected age. But alongside the many benefits this brings, there are also challenges, one of which is mobile network outages.
Last weekend a Verizon outage in the US led to thousands of Americans smartphones being offline in major cities like Los Angeles, Boston and Chicago. Those most affected were unable to text, use their mobile data or make calls apart from emergency 911 calls. It follows disruptions to other provider networks in the US in April and August as well as a multi-operator outage in the UK in July.
Infrastructure vulnerabilities, geopolitical factors, increased network dependency and the rise of 5G are all contributing factors to outages.
In terms of network dependency, the rise of software-defined vehicles (SDVs), 5G-enabled IoT and smart infrastructure means more devices rely on constant connectivity. For connected cars, outages can disrupt remote access, safety features and over-the-air (OTA) updates, as seen with AT&T’s 2024 outage affecting Volvo and Ford Mach-E users. Greater network dependency also means that even brief outages — for example AT&T’s 19-minute disruption in April 2025 — seem even more noticeable and disruptive to users.
The transition to 5G and hybrid networks also brings additional complexity as there are more points of failure. While 5G aims for higher reliability, initial deployments can lead to temporary outages, as seen in early 5G rollouts in 2020–2023. However, as it matures, and satellite connectivity becomes more integrated, the frequency of these outages may stabilise or decrease for critical applications. This will be hugely beneficial for connected cars.
Vehicle connectivity management — the solution for connected cars
Connected car solutions such as the adoption of a connectivity management platform for vehicles, eSIM technology and multi-MNO strategy are key for OEMs to manage outage risks. These solutions, reduce the impact of disruptions, potentially offsetting any increase in raw outage frequency for connected cars.
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Manage multi-network connectivity for cars
A automotive connectivity platform, like Cubic3 Cloud, acts as an intermediary layer between a vehicle’s telematics systems and mobile network operators (MNOs).
A centralised point of control, it manages multi-network connectivity for cars. This enables vehicles to connect to multiple MNOs simultaneously or switch between them automatically. This means that if one MNO experiences an outage, the platform can move the car to an alternative network without interrupting vehicle operations.
This multi-MNO approach reduces single points of failure, ensures continuous connectivity for features like emergency calls (eCall) and delivers real-time data streaming.
In times of network outages it also helps solve problems like losing remote access to your car, safety features not working properly, delayed software updates or entertainment systems going offline. It does this by using backup networks, adapting quickly and managing connections intelligently. This ensures SDVS maintain critical functions even during network disruptions, reducing downtime and enhancing reliability for automakers.
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eSIM orchestration for automotive connectivity
Embedded SIM (eSIM) technology is a core component of a vehicle connectivity management platform. It allows over-the-air (OTA) reconfiguration of network profiles without requiring physical SIM changes. In times of network outages or crossing borders, this enables dynamic switching to backup MNOs or local networks.
For automakers this reduces dependency on any one MNO and enables remote management for quick recovery, ensuring vehicles can adapt to network disruptions. This is particularly valuable for connected cars, where constant connectivity supports autonomous features and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications.
Currently, the industry is focused on adopting the latest eSIM standard — SGP.32. This will simplify connectivity management further for OEMs, making global deployment easier, reducing manufacturing complexity and costs and allowing greater roll out of connected services over the vehicle lifecycle
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Real-time analytics and predictive capabilities
A cloud based, connectivity management platform for vehicles provides automakers with one centralised view of their fleet. This allows them to monitor network performance, quality of service and identify potential issues in real-time.
When it comes to potential network outages early detection is crucial. Knowing this information quickly means OEMs can respond fast, rerouting data or alerting users.
Connected services like Explore3 allow OEMs to track cars data usage at a granular level. These insights make it easier for automakers to predict and manage the cost impacts from outages. They also ensure compliance with safety regulations (e.g., ISA for intelligent speed assistance), ensuring features remain functional even if primary networks fail.
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Enhanced security and compliance
Outages can sometimes stem from cyber threats targeting MNOs or vehicle networks. Therefore, it’s imperative that connected car solutions including vehicle connectivity management platforms protect against these risks. Incorporating robust security measures, such as GSMA-compliant subscription management, high-security eSIM profile handling and encrypted over-the-air (OTA) updates allow for large-scale deployments while minimising vulnerability to disruptions.
Benefits of an automotive connectivity platform
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Operational resilience and reduced downtime
Decoupling vehicle reliance on a single MNO, ensures software-defined vehicles continue to provide value-added services, like remote diagnostics or infotainment. This leads to higher customer satisfaction and fewer warranty claims.
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Reduced costs and increased scalability
A managed connectivity platform gives you greater negotiation power with MNOs. The data insights automakers gain allows them to reduce supply chain complexity with global, single-SKU solutions. This reduces costs — a crucial factor when managing fleets of millions of connected cars.
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Create new revenue streams
Reliable connectivity opens the doors to monetisable features, such as subscription-based updates or data services and ensures they aren’t impacted by outage-related interruptions.
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Global compliance and future-proofing
A strong automotive connectivity platform handles all regulatory compliance (e.g., taxes, data sovereignty) across regions. This removes complication for automakers and prepares them for the increasing connectivity demands of autonomous vehicles
How Cubic3 helps:
As vehicles become increasingly software-centric and, as a result, more network dependent, vehicle connectivity management becomes ever more-important. The best connectivity platform for automotive OEMs transforms connectivity from a potential liability into a strategic asset.
Smart, secure and global — Cubic3 Cloud delivers seamless connectivity, streamlined management and actionable insights for vehicles worldwide.
Connecting over 25 million vehicles across 550+ networks in more than 200 countries and territories, we deliver unmatched scalability to maximise the potential of the software-defined vehicle. The integration of Thales’s eSIM technology with our connected car solutions also means the latest GSMA compliant eSIM standard SGP.32 is available across our ecosystem, simplifying connectivity management for our customers
For OEMs concerned about the impact of network outages, Cubic3 Cloud’s robust, intelligent connectivity management ensures their vehicles stay connected now and in the future.
