How Colt kept operations running during the Iberian power outage
Business continuity under pressure: How Colt kept services running during the Iberian blackout
On May 1st, a major power outage disrupted daily life across Spain and Portugal, impacting everything from transport systems to corporate operations. For Colt, this wasn’t just a test of infrastructure — it was a live demonstration of how preparation, communication, and fast response come together when needed most.
By 11:30am, Colt’s Network Operations Centre had confirmed the issue was widespread and ongoing. The teams immediately activated their business continuity plan, aligning across functions and geographies. Communication became a challenge, especially with local staff suddenly offline — in some cases, relying on battery radios for updates. Despite these obstacles, Colt kept people informed, prioritised wellbeing, and avoided unnecessary travel.
Most importantly, every Colt-owned technical facility continued to operate without disruption. Power backups kicked in automatically, maintaining connectivity for customers across the region. Field engineers were dispatched to monitor shared infrastructure, but the majority of customer impacts were due to local site outages, not issues within the Colt network.
Feedback from clients came in swiftly — acknowledging Colt’s performance and thanking the team for staying dependable during a moment of uncertainty. As Tom Jennings, VP Operations at Colt, put it: “The willingness to jump in and support shows exactly who we are. We’re making the extraordinary effortless for our customers.”
This incident served as a real-world validation of Colt’s infrastructure investments and preparedness, reinforcing the importance of true resilience — not just in design, but in execution.
Read their correspondence here.
