Neither is the internet. Would you be okay with the government shutting it down for whatever reason it deemed necessary?

And I'm guessing these companies did not shut down service on their own. They were ordered to do so because of a protest event that had not even happened yet. I find that problematic. And while it may not affect you, cell phones are an indispensable part of how business gets done in today's world. They're not just items of convenience like a television or radio.