PTCL Internet Down Due to Submarine Cable Fault in Saudi Waters

Introduction: Why Is PTCL Internet Down Today?

If you’ve been experiencing slow internet connections in Pakistan You’re not all alone. Many users are experiencing interruptions, buffering issues and intermittent connectivity. It is reported that the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has officially confirmed that the slowdown is caused by an submarine cable failure close to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

According to PTCL The South Asia-Middle East-West Asian (SMW4) and India-Middle Eastern-Western Europe (IMEWE) cable systems are a little affected. These cables undersea form the core of Pakistan’s international internet bandwidth. This means that users could experience slower speeds when browsing and video streaming issues. calls and gaming lags. drops particularly during the peak times.This latest issue exposes Pakistan’s dependency upon underground internet cables to connect the world and raises concerns regarding the nation’s technological infrastructure reliability.

What Happened in Saudi Waters?

The problem was discovered in subsea internet cables in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia that directly impact the internet service all across South Asia, including Pakistan.

Key Details:

• Location: Saudi waters, near Jeddah
• The affected cables are: SMW4 and IMWWE
• Effect: Partial bandwidth capacity reduction
• Result: Internet slowdowns during peak usage hours

A PTCL spokesperson stated it is the firm’s International collaborators have been working on an prioritised basis to address the damages and the local team are in the process of arranging alternate bandwidth to reduce interruptions.

Which Systems Were Affected? (SMW4 & IMEWE Explained)

To fully comprehend the seriousness and severity of this situation it’s crucial to understand the cables which were damaged.

SMW4 (South Asia-Middle East-West Asia)

• Connects Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe
• One of Pakistan’s most important internet routes
• Offers both voice and data traffic connectivity

IMEWE (India-Middle East-Western Europe)

• High-capacity fiber optic cable system
• Connects India, Pakistan, Middle East, and Europe
• Offers low latency internet services.

Because the two systems affected simultaneously, Pakistan lost a large portion of its bandwidth and this led to slow speeds throughout the country.

How Are Internet Users in Pakistan Affected?

It is believed that the PTCL internet shut down due to a submarine cable fault has led to widespread problems.

Main Problems Users Reported:

• Slow browsing Websites take longer time to load
• video buffering YouTube, Netflix and streaming services are lagging
• Gaming delays: Online games like PUBG, Call of Duty and Valorant experiencing high Ping
• Disruptions to business: IT outsourcing, freelancers, remote workers and others have been stricken
• The call quality difficulties: Internet-based calls on WhatsApp, Zoom, and Teams affected

In a nation where millions of people depend upon the Internet for education, work and entertainment interruptions of just a few minutes can have a major impact.

PTCL’s Official Statement

PTCL assured customers that they were active in working to mitigate the impact.

“Our International partners have been working to address the issue and the local team is working to arrange alternate bandwidth in order to reduce the impact. We thank the customers who have been patient and supportive throughout this period,” said a PTCL SpokespersonThe company also stated that the problem is not under the control of Pakistan since these cables belong to by and controlled by global consortiums.

Why Are Submarine Cables Important?

Many people are unaware that 90% of all global internet traffic flows through underground fiber optic cables. Satellites only carry a small fraction of the.

For Pakistan submarine cables constitute vital lifelines. Without them:

• Internet service speeds slow dramatically
• Online businesses suffer losses
• Digital communication is unstable

Fun Fact:

Pakistan connects to the world via several submarine cables however, if one or two cables fail it causes demand on other systems which causes noticeable delays.

Past Incidents of Submarine Cable Faults in Pakistan

It’s certainly not the first time that Pakistan has had to deal with such problems.

Date	Cable Affected	Impact
Jan 3, 2025	AAE-1 (Asia-Africa-Europe)	National slowdowns
Jan 16, 2025	AAE-1 has been restored	Services are normally provided
In 2024, multiple times	AAE-1 & SMW5	Very severe disruptions for the days ahead

These frequent outages demonstrate that Pakistan requires stronger security systems for backup to ensure that it is not dependent on a limited supply of cables.

What PTCL Is Doing to Fix It

PTCL is confirming the steps below:

1. International fixes: Working with global partners to fix cuts in cable
2. Alternate bandwidth Transferring traffic onto different submarine cables
3. Systems for monitoring: Keeping users informed via official updates
4. Management of peak hours: Optimizing available bandwidth to improve service quality

The company has said it will restore full service in the shortest time feasible however, no specific date has been announced yet.

Comparison of Submarine Cables Affecting Pakistan

Here’s a quick look at the principal cables Pakistan is dependent on:

Cable Name	Full Form	Regions Connected	Status
SMW4	South Asia-Middle East-West Asia	Asia, Middle East, Europe	Fault reported
IMEWE	India-Middle East-Western Europe	India, Pakistan, Europe	Fault reported
AAE-1	Asia-Africa-Europe-1	Asia, Africa, Europe	Recently, the repair was completed
SMW5	South East Asia-Middle East-West Europe	Asia, Middle East, Europe	Operational

Expected Restoration Timeline

PTCL have not provided a timeframe, but it is based on previous experiences:

• Minor errors require 1-2 days
• Repairs that are major could take up to the duration of

Users should be prepared for occasional downtimes until complete restoration.

How Users Can Cope During Internet Downtime

In the meantime, while waiting for repairs here are some helpful tips:

1. Use mobile data as backup (Jazz, Zong, Telenor, Ufone)
2. Switch to hotspots 4G/5G during meetings at work
3. Make WiFi more efficient by placing the router in a central location
4. Utilize modes that save data in streaming as well as browsing

Download content offline for studying or entertainment

The Future of the Internet in Pakistan: Reliable or Not?

A PTCL internet shutdowndue to a submarine cable issue has been a source of concern for the Pakistani internet reliability. Experts recommend:

• Insisting on new submarine cable lines
• Developing satellite internet backup systems
• Construction of Data centers in Pakistan to decrease dependence

As digitalization accelerates, Pakistan must ensure reliable, high-speed Internet to help businesses and freelancers, students, and the IT export sector.

Conclusion

An underwater cable failure in Saudi Arabia has caused noticeable disruptions to internet service in Pakistan. PTCL is aware that the IMEWE and SMW4 cables are affected partially, which is decreasing capacity of bandwidth.

Even though PTCL has arranged an alternate bandwidth and is working with international partners in order to fix the issue, customers are likely to experience slower speeds in peak times until the problem is fixed.This incident demonstrates the country’s vulnerability to cable problems as well as the pressing necessity for more robust broadband infrastructure.

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