Sun Outages Explained

What are sun outages?

A sun outage, or sun fade, happens when a satellite passes directly between the earth and the sun, interrupting satellite signals for several minutes at a time. This affects satellite-provided services, including mobile and internet services. Sun outages happen semi-annually, around the last week of February and the first week of October each year. The disruption generally does not last longer than about 15 minutes a day for several consecutive days.

When is the next sun outage period?

Sun outages typically happen twice a year in Alaska — once in the spring and once in the fall. Beginning Feb. 24, 2026, and continuing through March 5, 2026, customers in satellite-served communities will experience service interruptions. The interruptions may occur on several consecutive days during this period and may last up to 15 minutes between 11:15 a.m. and noon. Some communities may also be affected again for up to 15 minutes between 3:45 and 4:30 p.m. AKT.

The following communities may be affected:

When was the last sun outage period?

From October 8 to October 19, 2025, customers in satellite-served communities experienced service interruptions.