The uncertainty is affecting citizens of all kinds, from the elderly to tech-savvy users. Anton, a 44-year-old Russian soldier who heads a workshop responsible for repairing and supplying drones, was at his kitchen table when he learned last month that Elon Musk's SpaceX had cut off access to Starlink terminals used by Russian forces.

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Back in 2012, in his Persian New Year message to the Iranian people, President Obama lamented the "electronic curtain" that had fallen over Iran, as the country's clerical regime ramped up its digital presence and censorship capabilities to track and neuter the nation's opposition forces.

Iran's nationwide Internet blackout will last until late March, a new report said -- as fears grow that Iranians' access to the Web will be permanently stripped as a means for Tehran to control them.