Having a fast internet connection at home has become a near-requirement for many Americans, especially with the rise of remote education and working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As telecom companies rev up the newest generation of mobile service, called 5G, they’re shutting down old networks — a costly, years-in-the-works process that’s now prompting calls for a delay because a lot of products out there still rely on the old standard, 3G.

Users across the northeast U.S. reported widespread internet outages Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)Internet users across the northeast U.S. experienced widespread outages for several hours Tuesday, interrupting work and school because of an unspecified Verizon network issue. “An internet issue impacting the quality of our Fios service throughout the Northeast has been resolved," said spokesman Rich Young in an emailed statement Tuesday afternoon. People posting on Twitter reported having issues connecting with various online services in the region stretching from Washington, D.C., to Boston. Comcast, another major internet service provider, said it had not observed problems with its network Tuesday.

The Christmas Day bombing in downtown Nashville led to communications outages over hundreds of miles in the southern U.S., raising concerns about the vulnerability of U.S. networks. The blast seriously damaged a key AT&T network facility, an important hub that provides local wireless, internet and video service and connects to regional networks. AT&T customers lost service — phones, internet or video — across large parts of Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama. At some hospitals, electronic medical records, internet service or phones stopped working. It's not as if the physical vulnerability of communications networks comes as a surprise.