Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited (PTCL) has provided an update on the ongoing internet slowdown caused by a fault in the Asia-Africa-Europe-1 (AAE-1) submarine cable, confirming that significant progress has been made to alleviate the issue. While the addition of extra bandwidth has addressed most of the slowdown, PTCL warned that users may still experience slowness, particularly when using Meta-owned services such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, especially during peak hours.
The fault in the AAE-1 cable, a critical link connecting Pakistan to global internet infrastructure, had caused a major disruption in internet speeds across the country, affecting millions of users, including businesses and freelancers who depend on fast, reliable internet. On January 3, PTCL’s spokesperson reported that its teams were working tirelessly to resolve the issue. The company has rerouted traffic through alternative subsea cables, which helped restore a significant portion of the affected bandwidth. According to IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, approximately 80% of the bandwidth shortfall has been recovered by January 4 through rerouting.
Despite these efforts, PTCL acknowledged that the internet speed issues persist, particularly when accessing Meta platforms. Some disruptions may continue as the demand on network resources increases during peak hours. PTCL emphasized that while the situation has improved significantly, the resolution of the issue is still ongoing, with a full restoration of normal service levels expected in the “next few days.” However, the company did not provide a specific date for when the internet slowdown would be fully resolved.
In the meantime, experts within PTCL have indicated that issues related to the AAE-1 submarine cable fault typically take between two to three months to resolve completely. This timeline suggests that the repair of such a crucial piece of internet infrastructure could be more complex and time-consuming than initially anticipated.
The AAE-1 cable fault has drawn attention to Pakistan’s reliance on international undersea cables for internet connectivity. The AAE-1 cable serves as one of the primary links between Pakistan and the rest of the world. The ongoing disruptions have underscored the vulnerabilities in the global internet infrastructure and the need for more resilient solutions to ensure uninterrupted service, particularly during periods of high demand.
While PTCL and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) continue to work on mitigating the issue, the internet slowdown has highlighted the broader challenges facing Pakistan’s digital infrastructure. According to a recent report by Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index, Pakistan ranks 100th out of 111 countries in mobile internet speeds and 141st out of 158 countries in broadband speeds, further emphasizing the need for long-term improvements.
Looking ahead, there is some optimism for future improvements in Pakistan’s internet infrastructure. A major undersea cable project, the 2Africa Submarine Cable System, is currently underway and is expected to significantly boost internet speeds and reliability in Pakistan. Set to go live by Q4 2025, the 2Africa cable will provide Pakistan with an additional 24 terabytes of bandwidth, addressing long-standing concerns about internet slowdowns. This cable, stretching over 45,000 kilometers and connecting Pakistan to 46 locations across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, is expected to substantially improve connectivity and alleviate the ongoing internet speed challenges.
Currently, Pakistan relies on approximately 8 terabytes of bandwidth from its existing undersea cables. Once operational, the 2Africa cable will dramatically enhance the country’s digital infrastructure, benefiting internet services and improving user experience across platforms, including Meta-owned services.
For now, PTCL continues to assure users that efforts are being made to resolve the internet slowdown as quickly as possible. While the situation has improved, the exact timeline for full resolution remains uncertain. Users are advised to expect intermittent slowdowns, particularly during peak usage times, until the issue is fully addressed.
