PTCL says internet services may slow during evenings from May 11 to 18

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) has said its users may experience internet service issues during evening hours from May 11 to 18 because of repair work on one of its submarine cables.

"A maintenance activity is planned on one of our submarine cables to repair a fault by the International Cable Consortium," the company said in a post on X on Sunday, adding that the work would start on May 11 and could continue until May 18.

"During this period, customers may face internet service degradation during evening hours," it added, indicating that users could see slower or disrupted connectivity while the maintenance is under way.

The state-owned telecom operator manages three undersea optical fibre cable systems that provide Pakistan with international internet connectivity. Faults in submarine cables have repeatedly affected internet access in the country, with users often facing service interruptions linked to such issues.

The latest advisory comes as internet disruptions tied to undersea cable problems remain a recurring issue for users in Pakistan. According to a report by Top10VPN.com, Pakistan recorded the highest financial losses globally from internet and social media app outages and shutdowns in 2023.

Maintenance window announced

According to PTCL’s statement, the maintenance activity is being carried out to fix a fault on one of its submarine cables. The company did not provide further operational details in the post, but said the work is expected to span eight days, from May 11 through May 18.

The company’s notice specifically mentioned possible service degradation during evening hours, suggesting that customers may not face uniform disruption throughout the day. PTCL did not say whether all users would be affected equally, but warned customers in advance of the scheduled work.

Submarine cable faults and connectivity

Pakistan relies on undersea optical fibre links for international internet traffic, and PTCL is one of the key operators managing that infrastructure. With three submarine cable networks under its management, the company plays a central role in maintaining external internet connectivity for the country.

Submarine cable faults have frequently led to connectivity problems in Pakistan in the past, affecting browsing speeds and access to online services. PTCL’s latest announcement indicates that the upcoming maintenance is intended to address one such fault through work planned by the International Cable Consortium.