A representational image of an internet cable. — Reuters/File
Internet users across Pakistan may experience slowdowns and disruptions following submarine cable cuts near Jeddah in Saudi waters, the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) reported on Saturday.
The telecom company confirmed that the cuts have affected partial bandwidth on the SMW4 and IMEWE systems, two major undersea cables connecting Pakistan to global internet networks.
PTCL added that international partners are working urgently to restore the damaged links, while local teams are arranging alternative bandwidth to reduce the impact on users.
“We sincerely appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding during this time,” the company stated.
This Downdetector chart shows internet outage complaints reported as of 10:30am. — Downdetector
According to Downdetector, 13 reports were received from users in Pakistan at 10:30am, indicating possible internet service issues.
Earlier this year, Pakistan’s internet infrastructure was connected to the Africa-1 submarine cable.
The 10,000-kilometre-long cable, designed with high transmission capacity, links Pakistan to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and France.
The Africa-1 project, approved by PTCL’s Board of Directors in November 2020 at a cost of $59.5 million, is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2026.
