ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has provided an update about the 2Africa Submarine cable, revealing it will be live in Pakistan by the fourth quarter of 2025. The project is supported by eight global partners, including Meta and Vodafone.
The 2Africa cable, one of the largest in the world, will span 45,000 kilometers and connect 46 locations across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. It will offer high-speed internet with a capacity of 180Tbps. PTA has been working with Transworld Associates (TWA) to bring this cable to Pakistan.
The first phase of the project began on December 1, 2024, with the cable landing at Hawksbay, Karachi. Phase II, which involves laying the deep-sea cable, will start in April 2025.
The project is expected to improve Pakistan’s international internet infrastructure and provide better connectivity.
Currently, Pakistan has slower internet speeds compared to countries like Palestine, Bhutan, and Iran. Pakistan’s average mobile internet speed is 19.59 Mbps, and broadband speed is 15.52 Mbps. Frequent internet outages and slow speeds have frustrated many users, especially freelancers, raising concerns about the impact on employment.
