PTA Confirms Internet Disruptions Will Continue Until October

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has announced that ongoing internet disruptions across the country are expected to persist until early October due to repairs on a damaged submarine cable.

Recent weeks have seen a significant decline in internet speeds, causing difficulties with sending or downloading media and voice notes via WhatsApp on mobile data, as well as slow browsing speeds on broadband connections.

The PTA has attributed these issues to faults in two of the seven international submarine cables connecting Pakistan to the global internet.

In a statement released today, the PTA confirmed that the primary issue lies with the SMW-4 submarine cable, which is anticipated to be repaired by early October 2024. The AAE-1 submarine cable has already been repaired, which should improve internet performance.

PTA Chairman Hafeezur Rehman had previously indicated that the repairs were expected to be completed by August 27, but the disruptions are set to continue until the SMW-4 cable is fully operational.