PTA Resolves Internet Degradation with Temporary Bandwidth
The slowdown has significantly impacted over two million freelancers who contribute to Pakistan’s economy.
The PTA clarified that a temporary bandwidth solution was implemented to counter the issues caused by a fault in the AAE1 submarine cable on January 2, 2025.
The authority reassured that it is closely monitoring efforts to restore the AAE-1 submarine cable and ensuring service stability during the restoration process.
Previously, the PTA had warned that disruptions could occur due to a fault in the AAE-1 cable near Qatar, one of Pakistan’s seven key undersea cables for international internet traffic.
Pakistan has faced internet slowdowns for over a year, with government officials attributing the issues to submarine cable faults, while some reports suggest the potential experimentation of a “firewall” by authorities.
The slowdown has significantly impacted over two million freelancers who contribute to Pakistan’s economy.
The situation has led to legal challenges and criticism in parliament, with allies like Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto questioning why certain undersea cables seem to face repeated damage.
According to Ookla Speedtest Global Index, Pakistan ranked 100th out of 111 countries for mobile internet speeds, with a download speed of 20.61Mbps and upload speed of 8.53Mbps.
The country also ranked 141st out of 158 for broadband speeds, with download speeds of 15.60Mbps and upload speeds of 15.53Mbps.
The PTA, in collaboration with Transworld Associate (TWA), is overseeing this project.
This 45,000-kilometre cable, supported by a global consortium including Meta and Vodafone, will connect 46 locations across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
Set to go live in Q4 2025, the system will provide Pakistan with 24 terabytes of bandwidth, significantly boosting internet performance for platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram.
The first phase of installation began in December 2024, with the cable landing at Hawksbay, Karachi.
The new cable aims to address the country’s ongoing internet speed complaints, providing a significant upgrade from the current 8 terabytes of bandwidth supported by existing cables.