PTA Resolves Internet Issues in Pakistan with Temporary Bandwidth Fix

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced on Saturday that the issue of internet service degradation across the country has been resolved by the integration of a temporary bandwidth into the system.

“[…] to address the issue of degradation of Internet services due to fault in AAE1 submarine cable on January 2, 2025 ad hoc bandwidth has been arranged and added in the system,” the authority stated.

The statement read that the PTA is actively monitoring the restoration activities for the AAE-1 submarine cable and is dedicated to maintaining service stability throughout this process.

Last week, the authority disclosed that internet and broadband users could face disruptions due to a fault in the submarine cable AAE-1 near Qatar.

A fault has been reported in the submarine cable AAE-1, located near Qatar. This cable is one of seven international undersea connections facilitating internet traffic to and from Pakistan.

However, in a positive development last month, the installation of a significant undersea internet cable as part of the 2Africa Submarine Cable System is underway in Pakistan, which is set to improve internet speed and reliability. Set to commence operations in the fourth quarter of 2025, this extensive 45,000-kilometre cable links 46 locations worldwide and provides an impressive bandwidth of 24 terabytes.

The recent slowdown of internet services has posed significant challenges for freelancers, a group exceeding two million individuals who play a vital role in the nation’s economic development. The increased bandwidth is set to elevate the performance of popular platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram.