Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited has issued a public advisory warning that internet users across the country may experience degraded connectivity over the coming week due to scheduled maintenance work on one of its international submarine cable systems. The repair work, which will be carried out by the International Cable Consortium, is scheduled to begin on May 11, 2026, and is expected to continue until May 18, 2026, during which customers may experience degraded internet services, particularly during evening hours. PTCL expressed regret for any inconvenience the disruption may cause and assured users that the repairs are being carried out as quickly as possible to restore full service integrity.
PTCL manages three undersea optical fibre cable systems that provide Pakistan with international internet connectivity, and faults in submarine cables have repeatedly affected internet access in the country, with users often facing service interruptions linked to such issues. The maintenance window affects both residential and business users, with slower browsing speeds, increased buffering on streaming platforms, and intermittent connectivity issues expected primarily during peak evening hours when network traffic is at its highest. This marks the second such disruption in recent weeks, following a similar maintenance exercise conducted from April 14 to April 20, indicating that Pakistan’s submarine cable infrastructure has been facing a period of heightened maintenance activity that has placed recurring strain on the country’s international internet connectivity.
Pakistan’s internet connectivity largely depends on undersea fibre-optic cables that connect the country to global internet networks, carrying massive volumes of international data traffic and playing an essential role in maintaining stable internet services. Any fault, maintenance, or disruption affecting these systems can lead to slower browsing speeds, higher latency, and temporary interruptions for millions of users. PTCL emphasised that the maintenance work is essential for long-term network stability and that improvements to overall service quality and reliability are expected once the repairs are completed. The disruption also serves as a timely reminder of Pakistan’s continued structural dependence on international submarine cable infrastructure, even as the country simultaneously advances its domestic connectivity ambitions through the rollout of fifth-generation services in selected cities following the completion of the major spectrum auction in March 2026.
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