The Iranian government has cut off the entire network due to economic protests, while authorities are also using radio frequency interference against Starlink. Young people in Tehran are turning to using BitChat mesh networks for self-rescue, reflecting the tug-of-war between national-level censorship and grassroots communication.
(Background summary: Iran’s nationwide internet shutdown, but people are vigorously using various methods with cryptocurrencies)
(Additional background: Escalation of large-scale protests in Iran: thousands arrested, a night of internet blackout, exiled prince calling for uprising… imminent heavy suppression?)

Table of Contents

• Starlink satellite network will also be interfered with
• Bitchat: Jack Dorsey’s Bluetooth mesh network
• Physical limitations of Bitchat

This week, the Iranian government fully cut off the internet. Amnesty International has warned that internet shutdowns are often accompanied by street repression. Since it is difficult for outsiders to verify the situation on the ground in real-time, this increases the risk of citizens facing violence.

The shutdown is to allow security forces to carry out repression without camera recordings. This is not just a technological competition but also an effort to cover up large-scale human rights abuses.

Starlink satellite network will also be interfered with

In recent years, low Earth orbit satellites have been viewed as a “censorship bypass insurance.” However, the Iranian government has used high-power jammers in key areas like the capital, causing frequent disruptions to the Starlink network.

On the other hand, because Starlink terminals emit obvious signals, law enforcement can quickly locate and seize them, posing risks for users. Elon Musk himself warned early in the Russia-Ukraine war:

Use Starlink cautiously. It is currently the only non-Russian communication system in some parts of Ukraine, and it is at high risk of being attacked. Only turn on the terminal when necessary, and stay as far away from crowds as possible.

Bitchat: Jack Dorsey’s Bluetooth mesh network

However, when aerial channels are blocked, ground-to-ground “peer-to-peer” communication has emerged on the streets of Tehran. Jack Dorsey, the founder of Twitter, previously led the development of Bitchat, which offers an alternative solution. The app uses Bluetooth Low Energy technology, turning each phone into a relay node within 300 meters, forming a temporary mesh network.

The people of Iran can use a very simple app: BITCHAT, that doesn’t need internet connection at all. Just text communication via Bluetooth connection proximity and mesh Bluetooth network. pic.twitter.com/8yz4LBC98m

— Abstract Wine🍷 (@AbstractWine) January 8, 2026

According to statistics, the app was downloaded 437,900 times in one week. Protesters first spread messages locally, then send images overseas via a few unaffected satellite nodes.

Physical limitations of Bitchat

However, Bitchat offline communication also has the following limitations:

• Transmission range: A single device’s Bluetooth coverage is usually only 30 to 100 meters.

• Dependence on node density: If there are no other Bitchat users within a 100-meter radius, your message cannot be sent. It is highly dependent on a dense population environment.

Overall, the limitations of Bitchat make it unsuitable as a primary daily communication tool, but in extreme scenarios like Iran’s internet shutdown, it is one of the most powerful backup solutions available.