ISLAMABAD, April 14, 2026 — Pakistan may experience internet service degradation over the coming week as repair work begins on a damaged submarine cable, the country’s main telecom operator said on Monday.
Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited said a planned maintenance operation on one of its international undersea cables will start on April 14 and continue until April 20, 2026, as part of a repair effort coordinated by an international cable consortium.
“In coordination with the international cable consortium, a maintenance activity is planned on one of our submarine cables to repair a fault,” PTCL said in a post on social media platform X.
The company warned that customers across Pakistan may experience slower internet speeds or intermittent connectivity, particularly during evening peak hours when traffic demand is highest. It apologised for the inconvenience caused during the maintenance period.
Submarine cables form the backbone of Pakistan’s international internet connectivity, carrying the bulk of data traffic linking the country to global networks. Any disruption or maintenance on these systems often leads to reduced bandwidth and slower browsing speeds for users.
The timing of the maintenance comes as Pakistan’s telecom sector is undergoing a major transition toward next-generation services.
Last week, telecom operators announced the phased rollout of 5G services in selected areas following the issuance of spectrum licences at a government ceremony in Islamabad attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The government concluded a spectrum auction in March 2026, generating $507 million through the sale of 480 megahertz of bandwidth, including key frequencies in the 2,600MHz band essential for 5G deployment.
Industry officials say Pakistan’s digital infrastructure remains heavily dependent on submarine cable systems, making resilience and redundancy upgrades critical as data consumption rises.
Analysts note that while short-term disruptions are common during maintenance cycles, sustained investment in new cables and terrestrial backup systems will be key to supporting future 5G-driven demand growth.