Pakistan Struggles with Slow Internet Speeds, Ranks 198th Globally

Pakistan has been ranked 198^th globally in internet speed, according to the latest report from the World Population Review. The average mobile internet download speed in the country stands at 19.59 Mbps, while the average broadband speed is 15.52 Mbps.

The report reveals that Pakistan’s internet speeds are slower than countries like Palestine, Bhutan, and Iraq. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) leads the global rankings for both mobile and broadband internet speeds, with Singapore and Qatar following closely for mobile and broadband, respectively. Hong Kong and Chile occupy the third and fourth spots for mobile internet speeds.

The WPR report also anticipates enhancements in internet performance because of technological advancements. However, Pakistan continues to experience challenges related to internet performance, characterized by sporadic disruptions and diminished bandwidth, which adversely impact users’ capacity to browse, download, and share media effectively.

Sajjad Mustafa Syed, the Chairman of the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), has expressed confidence that the current issues with internet bandwidth are expected to be rectified within a three-month timeframe. However, apprehensions persist regarding the potential connectivity challenges that may emerge due to the deployment of a monitoring firewall.

“If messages are sent via WhatsApp but images fail to transmit, it may indicate surveillance activity,” Sajjad Stated.

Users throughout Pakistan have reported intermittent internet disruptions and diminished speeds, which have adversely affected their capacity to peruse, download, and share media efficiently.

Both Wi-Fi and mobile data services are reportedly encountering considerable slowdowns, thereby posing significant challenges for users attempting to transmit or receive media files, such as images, videos, and audio notes, on platforms such as WhatsApp.