Welcome back to the Internet, Libya

After 171 days of virtual silence, Libya is back online. T company Renesys is cataloging the country's Internet status, and access went up and down several times over the weekend, causing some confusion about what — exactly — is happening in Tripoli.

According to Renesys, which monitors Web traffic across the globe, the Internet connection in Tripoli was moving in bursts, as local Internet came back up only to be shut down at the national level. Shortly after that, national routes went back up, but local connections were down. Then, the Web site for Libya Telecom and Technology Web site went back online, reportedly reading, “Congratulations, Libya, on emancipation from the rule of the tyrant.”

(Aug 22)