Internet Restored Across Pakistan After Four-Month Outage

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has announced the restoration of internet services nationwide after successful repairs to the SMW4 underwater cable.

The outage, lasting nearly four months, was caused by faults in two cables: SMW4 in June and AAE1 in August, resulting in a substantial 1,750 Gbps shortfall.

With the recent addition of the Pace cable in 2023 and further expansions planned, including three new cables from Transworld International and PTCL within the next two years, Pakistan is aiming to address longstanding connectivity issues.

Slow internet speeds and frequent social media disruptions have been frustrating the public and stalling digital growth, with platforms like X, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Snapchat only accessible through VPNs.

These connectivity issues have impacted essential services, including downloading files and sending voice notes, raising concerns over Pakistan’s lagging digital infrastructure in the global digital economy.