Internet connectivity in Lebanon is likely to continue to see prolonged disruptions due to an ongoing lack of funds and fuel.

Telecommunications minister Johnny Corm warned that providers were unable to power critical infrastructure, causing widespread outages.

Since June, Lebanese state-owned telco Ogero has experienced outages in dozens of cities due to a diesel fuel crisis that has gripped the nation.

Hyperinflation over the past year has led to the cost of goods and services to shoot up, while a shortage of US dollars has made it hard for the government or industry to afford fuel. The Lebanese currency has lost more than 93 percent of its value against the dollar over the past two years.

Covid-19, political gridlock, and the 2020 Beirut port explosion have also contributed to Lebanon's rapid economic collapse.

For many, the Christmas holiday period was already set to be difficult, with UNICEF finding that 77 percent of Lebanese families say they lack sufficient food and 60 percent of them only buy food by running up unpaid bills or borrowing money. A Christmas tree would cost two months average salary.

Being disconnected from relatives - many of whom have fled the nation in search of a better life - adds an extra burden to those struggling.

“I was speaking to [my family] by video in November," Miriam Sarhan, who left Lebanon for Canada in July, told The Guardian. “Now we can’t even manage a voice call. What else will my country take from me?”