Nationwide Digital Radio Outage Disrupts Police and Emergency Services Across Germany

On Tuesday afternoon, Germany experienced a major disruption in the digital communication network used by police, fire departments, and emergency medical services. Beginning at approximately 16:20 local time, the nationwide digital radio system—formally known as BOS-Digitalfunk—experienced partial and, in some areas, total failure. The outage affected the ability of emergency responders to communicate with dispatch centers and each other.

The breakdown was extensive, spanning several federal states including Hamburg, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Saxony, Thuringia, Hesse, Bavaria, and parts of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. Even regions like Saarland and Saxony-Anhalt reported disruptions. In many areas, communication had to temporarily rely on analog radio systems or mobile phones.

The outage lasted up to two hours in some locations. While full service was restored in most regions by the evening, concerns remain about the resilience of Germany’s emergency communication infrastructure.

Critical Infrastructure Labeled “Highly Vulnerable”

The incident triggered alarm among officials and union representatives. Stephan Weh, chairman of the Berlin branch of the Police Union (GdP), referred to the incident as a “Super-GAU”—a term often reserved for worst-case scenarios. He criticized the reliance on a single digital system for all critical communication needs, warning that such dependence exposes systemic vulnerabilities. His comments were echoed by Hamburg Police Union chairman Thomas Jungfer, who called for immediate nationwide investment in robust emergency infrastructure and the implementation of standardized contingency plans.

Emergency services in Hamburg, Berlin, and other affected areas quickly activated their fallback protocols. Backup systems were reportedly effective in maintaining basic operations. In Hamburg, authorities confirmed that despite the failure, no harm came to patients or members of the public, and emergency calls remained accessible throughout the incident.

Initial Confusion Over Cause Fuels Cyberattack Speculation

As reports of the failure emerged, speculation began about its origin. Some sources initially linked the issue to a scheduled software update. However, the possibility of a cyberattack could not be dismissed in the early stages of investigation. The Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) stated later in the day that it had found no evidence of a cyberattack. A more detailed statement issued by the Federal Agency for Public Safety Digital Radio (BDBOS) later confirmed that network-related problems had been identified and resolved.

Despite the restoration of the service, the full scope of the disruption is still being analyzed. A spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of the Interior acknowledged the failure of a high number of base stations nationwide and indicated that further investigation is ongoing to understand the root cause.

Backbone of Emergency Communication Temporarily Collapsed

The BOS-Digitalfunk system is the backbone of operational communication among German public safety agencies. With more than 5,000 base stations covering over 99 percent of the country’s territory, it supports coordination between police, fire departments, emergency medical teams, and disaster response agencies. The system is also used by the Federal Criminal Police Office, customs services, and civil protection authorities.

The outage demonstrated how a single point of failure in a centralized system can jeopardize the functionality of vital public services. Although emergency protocols helped bridge the communication gap, the incident underscored the need for more diversified and resilient infrastructure, particularly for situations involving mass coordination, such as natural disasters or national security events.

No Public Risk, But Serious Lessons for Policy Makers

Although no injuries or operational breakdowns were reported during the disruption, the event has intensified scrutiny on the digital readiness of Germany’s public safety systems. The Ministry of the Interior, BDBOS, and related partners have pledged to thoroughly investigate the incident and implement technical safeguards to prevent recurrence.

Authorities emphasized that emergency phone numbers, such as 110 and 112, remained fully operational throughout the event due to their separation from the BOS-Digitalfunk system. Still, the temporary loss of the main communication method for coordination among emergency services represents a serious security gap.

The last time such a widespread outage occurred was in 2022, also due to technical malfunctions. This week’s failure has reignited calls from unions and security experts for a nationwide review of critical digital infrastructure and stronger investment in backup systems, with some experts warning that future disruptions could have more severe consequences.