The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced on Saturday that the widespread internet service degradation across the country has been resolved. The issue stemmed from a fault in the AAE-1 submarine cable, which disrupted internet services earlier this week. The PTA confirmed that a temporary bandwidth has been incorporated into the system to stabilize the connectivity.
In a brief statement, the PTA assured the public that internet services are now stable, following the integration of the ad hoc bandwidth. They also stated that efforts to fully restore the AAE-1 submarine cable are ongoing, and the authority is actively overseeing the process to maintain service quality during this period.
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The fault in the AAE-1 submarine cable, one of seven international undersea cables connecting Pakistan to global internet traffic, was reported last week. Users had been warned of potential disruptions, which led to slow internet speeds and connectivity issues across the country. This problem significantly impacted freelancers, who make up a large part of Pakistan’s digital economy, along with other businesses reliant on stable internet services.
Pakistan has faced recurring internet slowdowns since last year, often attributed to submarine cable faults. Additionally, there have been reports suggesting possible government experimentation with a “firewall” that may be contributing to the slow speeds. The issue has become a matter of concern in the courts, with legal cases being filed over persistent slow internet and social media disruptions.
Pakistan’s global ranking in internet speeds remains low. According to the Ookla Speedtest Global Index, the country is ranked 100th out of 111 nations for mobile internet, with a download speed of 20.61 Mbps. In broadband speeds, it stands at 141st out of 158 countries, with download speeds of 15.60 Mbps, reflecting ongoing challenges in providing stable internet connectivity.
