Pakistan experienced some big and messy internet disruptions this year due to multiple submarine cable faults, resulting in a 1,750 Gbps shortfall in data capacity, according to documents seen by ProPakistani.
The country faced four incidents of submarine cable failures in 2024 which impacted internet services nationwide.
The documents revealed that two minor and two major faults occurred this year, with the SEAMEWE-5 cable suffering a cut near Egypt in February. Another disruption took place on June 17, when the SEAMEWE-4 cable was severed near Karachi, leading to a loss of 1,500 Gbps in data capacity.
On July 31, a fault in PTCL’s system configuration further added to the network disruptions. The most recent incident occurred on August 17, when the AAE-1 cable failed and caused a 250 Gbps shortfall in internet services.
Over the past four years, Pakistan has faced nine submarine cable failures, highlighting the country’s vulnerability to such disruptions. Currently, Pakistan is connected to the global internet through seven submarine cables operated by PTCL, Transworld, and Cybernet.
| Operator | Name of Cable | Utilized Capacity (Gbps) |
|---|---|---|
| PTCL | SMW 3 | 10.8 |
| PTCL | SMW 4 | 1501 |
| PTCL | IMEWE | 1822 |
| PTCL | AAE-1 | 3122 |
| TWA | SMW 5 | 1680 |
| TWA | TW 1 | 1560 |
| CyberNet | PEACE | 440 |
| Total | 10,146 |
These cables are critical to Pakistan’s internet connectivity and support the country’s internet capacity, which now stands at 10,146 Mbps. In the event of a cable disruption, operators are required to notify the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) within two hours.
FLL operators numbering 293, provide internet services across Pakistan. There are also 180 data CVAS operators, who rely on FLL infrastructure to provide last-mile connectivity. The country has a total of 473 internet service providers, the document revealed.
| Time | Submarine Cable/System | Type and Location of Fault | Impact | Resolution Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Aug 2024 | AAE-1 | Maintenance activity | Ongoing disruption in internet | By 27 Aug 2024 |
| (250 Gbps reduction) | services | |||
| 31 July 2024 | PTCL System | Error in route configuration | Few hours disruption | Resolved |
| 17 June 2024 | SEAMEWE-4 | Offshore near Karachi (undersea cable cut) | Ongoing disruption (1500 Gbps reduction) | By end September 2024 |
| February 2024 | SEAMEWE 5 | Egypt, land cable cut | Few hours disruption | Resolved |
| April 2023 | AAE-1 (250 Gbps reduction) | France, Land cable cut | Few hours | Resolved |
| November 2022 | SEAMEWE 5 | Egypt, land cable cut | Few hours | Resolved |
| February 2022 | TW-1 | 400 Km off Karachi | 3 months | Resolved |
| December 2021 | AAE-1 | UAE, land cut | Few hours | Resolved |
| February 2021 | TW-1 | Egypt, land cut | Few hours | Resolved |
The disruptions caused by these submarine cable failures have ongoing impacts on internet service quality.
PTA has issued updated Quality of Service (QoS) regulations with higher thresholds for system availability and download/upload speeds to keep pace with changing technology.
In July 2024, seven ISPs were issued notices for not meeting PTA’s key performance indicator (KPI) threshold, following surveys conducted by the regulator. A special ISP survey in Gwadar also led to a show cause notice being issued to the concerned company in February 2024 for failing to meet the required KPI.
All ISPs have been ordered to upgrade the systems to meet PTA KPI threshold as given in Fixed Line QoS Regulations 2022.
PTA has implemented new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure that cable faults are reported within two hours of their occurrence. In cases where the fault is significant, a press release is issued to inform the public about the situation. The document said PTA monitors the repair and mitigation efforts closely, particularly in the case of undersea cable cuts, where special repair ships are often required.
The document added that PTA’s complaint management system (CMS) handles consumer grievances, including complaints regarding service quality. Customers can register complaints through PTA’s toll-free number or online.