PTCL says submarine cable cuts may disrupt internet services nationwide

• Downdetector shows surge in user outage reports
• PTCL arranging alternative bandwidth.
• International partners working to restore links.

Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) on Saturday said that internet users in the country may experience disruptions due to submarine cable cuts in Saudi waters near Jeddah.

According to the statement issued by the internet company, the cuts occurred near Jeddah, affecting partial bandwidth capacity on the SMW4 and IMEWE systems, two of the key undersea cables that connect the country to global networks.

The statement further said that international partners are working on a priority to restore the damaged links, while local teams are arranging alternative bandwidth to mitigate the impact on users.

“We sincerely appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding during this time,” it added.

Outage reports spiked on Saturday morning, according to data from Down Detector, which showed disruptions building up overnight before a surge in complaints by 9am.

At least 16 reports of outage were seen on the graph at 10:09am. 

Earlier this year, the Africa-1 submarine cable was linked to country internet infrastructure. 

The 10,000-kilometre-long cable, with high transmission capacity, connects the country to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and France. 

The project, approved by PTCL's Board of Directors in November 2020 at a cost of $59.5 million, is expected to be ready for service by the first quarter of 2026.