Internet slowdown issue to be fully resolved in few days: PTCL

On Wednesday, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) provided an update on the ongoing AAE-1 submarine cable issue, stating that the addition of extra bandwidth has largely resolved the internet slowness experienced by users.

However, the company cautioned that users may still experience slower speeds on Meta-related services such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram during peak hours.

In its statement, PTCL assured that a full resolution is expected within the next few days.

The company also highlighted that PTCL and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) are working closely to address the issue as quickly as possible.

The disruption in internet services followed a fault in the AAE-1 submarine cable near Qatar, which is one of seven international undersea cables linking Pakistan to global internet traffic.

Last week, the PTA had reported that the fault in the AAE-1 cable was causing disruptions for internet and broadband users in the country.

To mitigate the issue, temporary bandwidth was incorporated into the system, and efforts were made to reroute additional traffic. Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, revealed that 630 gigabytes per second of the affected traffic had already been shifted to alternative routes.

She also confirmed that efforts were underway to reroute an additional 200 gigabytes per second of traffic.

The internet slowdown, which has been an ongoing issue in Pakistan since last year, has significantly impacted millions of freelancers, a group that plays a crucial role in the country’s economic growth.

Reports suggest that while the government has blamed submarine cable faults for the disruption, there is also speculation about potential experimentation with a "firewall" by the authorities.

The impact of these internet issues has sparked concerns, with courts taking action against slow internet speeds and social media disruptions.

Even government allies have expressed dissatisfaction with the ongoing problems, both inside and outside the parliament.

According to Ookla's Speedtest Global Index, Pakistan ranks 100th out of 111 countries in mobile internet speeds, with a download speed of 20.61 Mbps and an upload speed of 8.53 Mbps. In terms of broadband speeds, Pakistan is ranked 141st out of 158 countries, with a download speed of 15.60 Mbps and an upload speed of 15.53 Mbps.

In a positive development, last month, news emerged about the installation of a major new undersea cable that is expected to significantly improve internet speed and reliability in Pakistan.

The project, part of the 2Africa Submarine Cable System, is being facilitated by the PTA through Transworld Associates (TWA) as the landing party for the cable in Pakistan.

The 2Africa cable, which spans 45,000 kilometers, connects 46 locations across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, offering a cutting-edge capacity of 180 terabits per second (Tbps) using SDM1 technology.

The project is supported by a global consortium that includes Meta and Vodafone. The cable is expected to go live in Pakistan by Q4 2025.

Installation of the cable began on December 1, 2024, with the first phase, Pre-Lay Shore End (PLSE), involving the cable landing at Hawksbay, Karachi. The second phase, deep-sea laying of the cable, is scheduled to begin on April 1, 2025.

Once fully operational, the 2Africa cable will provide Pakistan with 24 terabytes of bandwidth, significantly boosting the country’s internet connectivity.

This additional bandwidth is expected to improve the performance of platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, addressing the long-standing issues of slow internet speeds in the country.

Currently, Pakistan relies on approximately 8 terabytes of bandwidth provided by seven existing submarine cables, and the new cable connecting Africa to Pakistan will greatly enhance the country’s internet infrastructure.