The Pakistan flood catastrophe has caused extensive damage to internet services and other infrastructure around the country. Internet disruptions are still occurring around the country and more than 3000 mobile sites in Pakistan were affected as a result.
Thankfully, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has recovered a significant number of sites over the past few weeks. On August 28, 2022, the affected site count was 3386 (6.55% of the total sites across Pakistan), which has now been reduced to only 568 (less than 1.1 % of total sites).
Press Release: Continued efforts by PTA and #telecom operators to restore connectivity in #flood affected areas has resulted in further reduction of affected mobile sites count across the country to 568 (less than 1.1 % of total sites).
— PTA (@PTAofficialpk) September 3, 2022
This was made possible by the tireless efforts of the maintenance teams of all telecom operators. PTA says that more than 850 teams are currently working around the clock to provide uninterrupted telecom services to consumers. Mobile operators are also providing free calls within all flood-hit areas of Pakistan. This includes Sindh and parts of Balochistan and KP and other ill-affected areas.
In the past 24 hours, more than 80 mobile sites have been restored and there is still work in progress for the complete restoration of telecom services in other areas on top priority. PTA says that the coverage sites that are currently dysfunctional are mostly inaccessible and underwater due to floods.
The telecom authority and mobile operators are working with respective civil and military authorities for access to underwater sites and dewatering. PTA is still facing the challenge of prolonged power breakdowns and continuous heavy rain that is causing the flood water to enter exchange buildings and cuts in Optical Fiber Cable (OFC) due to land sliding.
More recently, PTA also reported that PTCL has managed to recover most of its internet services in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan. Zong, Jazz, and Ufone have also recovered their services in the region.
