A significant surge in Virtual Private Network (VPN) usage has been observed in Pakistan, particularly during periods of internet disruptions.
According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), peak bandwidth utilization through VPNs reached 634 Gbps in August, dipped slightly to 597 Gbps in September, and peaked dramatically at 815 Gbps in October.
But the rising VPN traffic has strained Pakistan’s already limited internet infrastructure. With the country’s submarine cable capacity capped at approximately 9.5 Gbps, the increased VPN usage is bypassing local Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), which typically optimize data traffic for faster speeds.
PTA estimates that around 70 percent of the internet traffic is served from CDNs, but VPNs redirect this traffic internationally, causing congestion and slower speeds during peak hours.
By November, the figure dropped to 378 Gbps, and as of December 22, the utilization stood at 437 Gbps. This fluctuating usage reflects the public’s increasing reliance on VPNs to access services during disruptions.
Economic losses are another major concern tied to excessive VPN use. PTA reports that bypassing local systems for international routing costs approximately $1 per MB. A surge of just 1 Tbps in bandwidth due to VPN traffic could cost the country an estimated $10,000 per minute in foreign exchange. This reliance on international routing not only affects internet performance but also poses a significant financial burden.
In response to these challenges, PTA has streamlined VPN registration processes for organizations and freelancers to regulate their usage. Additionally, it has started licensing VPN service providers, with two companies—ZETTABYTE and ALPHAS3CUBIC—already approaching the authority for licenses. These measures aim to monitor and manage VPN use more effectively while mitigating its impact on the country’s internet ecosystem.
Efforts to enhance local internet infrastructure are also underway. PTA has established three Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad to localize Internet traffic exchange between service providers and reduce reliance on international routes. However, challenges remain, including the non-participation of key players like NTC and Comsats and limited routing by existing participants, which hampers the full potential of these IXPs.
The report underscores the urgent need to expand submarine cable capacity and improve domestic routing systems to address the dual challenges of internet slowness and economic losses. While the licensing of VPN service providers and the development of IXPs are steps in the right direction, comprehensive investment in local internet infrastructure remains critical to resolving these issues.
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well stop blocking internet and people wont use VPN. with an educated young population, they will find ways . why making pakistan like north korea??
exactly, PTA keeps blaming us, when the real culprit is govt.
عینک لگا کر دیکھنے سے سورج پر دباؤ پڑا ہے اس لیے اسکی روشنی کم ہو گئی ہے
This happens only in pakistan sometime shark will severe the cable rather frequently, sometimes vpn is blamed why cant we have stable internet like otger world arewe incompetent to buy the proper equipment or corruption to be blamed we should know the reason instead oflies, blames & excuses