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When the electricity goes out, an eerie silence envelops the surroundings. Air conditioners stop humming, modem lights cease blinking, and internet connectivity vanishes abruptly. At first glance, it may seem like a simple outage, but for those whose lives and careers depend on online education, such moments translate into hours of lost effort and disrupted planning.
Mostafa Hosseini, CEO of Maktabkhooneh, shared his perspective with Digiato: "Although power outages can occasionally be turned into 'opportunities'- as one factory manager mentioned that workers use downtime to engage with our recorded educational content - when internet outages occur simultaneously, we are forced to cover additional costs. Ultimately, the negative impacts far outweigh any positives."
The situation is even more dire for online classes educators. Mostafa Daliri, an English language instructor, explained: "There are times when only the power goes out. But often it's not just home internet; even telecommunications towers stop functioning. In such cases, 4G networks also fail, leaving no viable alternative." He added that the problem extends beyond hosting classes to basic scheduling challenges: "From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., there's no electricity in my area; from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., my student’s area faces outages. This means four hours of complete inactivity - resulting in wasted time and reduced income."
Taktem Bahrami, another online classes educator with over two decades of experience, shared a personal account: "Sometimes I have to stay connected for 90 minutes just to compensate for interruptions during a one-hour class. I can't tell my students that lessons will be shorter due to unfavorable conditions." She said if outages persist, she might have to change her profession: "If this continues, I might return to translation work. I've been teaching for 22 years, but this situation is becoming untenable."
Why Is Internet Failing? Blame BTS Antenna Batteries
These remarks come amid months of intensified blackouts - escalating from sporadic interruptions to daily occurrences lasting multiple days. Experts highlight that power grid failures lead to disruptions in mobile network connectivity and even affect home internet services. The primary issue lies with BTS antenna batteries across the country; many are outdated or defective. Additionally, remote locations and prolonged restoration times further exacerbate disruptions in fixed-line internet services.
Arash Karimbeigi, CEO of Shatel Mobile, previously told Digiato: "In Iran, there is no dedicated electrical infrastructure for antennas - even near critical facilities like hospitals. Globally, various operators provide electricity at different rates for telecom infrastructure; however, in Iran, power distribution remains under government control. It’s not economically feasible for operators to build their own power plants or generators unless they adjust tariffs accordingly - something they currently avoid doing."
Recording Online Classes as a Solution
Hosseini advocates recording live interactive sessions as a workaround during power and internet outages to ensure educational continuity despite challenges. While he acknowledges the unique benefits of live interaction in teaching environments, he views recorded sessions as a necessary adaptation.
Bahrami echoed similar sentiments about declining class quality due to connectivity issues: "Most of my classes now rely on audio instead of video calls because internet speeds are insufficient. Even two hours after a blackout ends, problems persist - making it impossible for me to conduct quality sessions between noon and 6 p.m."
The recurring theme among online education stakeholders is clear: frequent power and internet outages pose significant challenges for virtual learning platforms. Platform managers often resort to offering free services as temporary relief; however, the burden largely falls on instructors and students. Stories from teachers whose classes are cut short or extended due to technical difficulties reveal how these disruptions lead directly to wasted time, income loss, and, in some cases, even career changes.
Who is responsible or should take action remains an unanswered question amidst mounting complaints about electricity cuts and deteriorating internet quality. For now, government officials offer little solace beyond vague promises that "power outage issues will soon be resolved" - a statement that has yet to materialize into concrete solutions.
