Tag: slow internet in pakistan

  • When will Pakistanis have full access to internet?

    When will Pakistanis have full access to internet?

    Pakistan’s internet slowdown has been ongoing for over a month, and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) deadline for its restoration ended yesterday. The deadline has passed, and the internet remains disrupted.

    “The internet slowdown is due to the failure of two out of seven submarine cables. The rerouting of the AAE-1 cable is completed; after this, the internet services will be further improved.” read PTA’s statement.

    “The repair phase of the SMW4 cable is likely to be completed by October 2024, and internet services will be fully available after the completion of the second submarine cable,” PTA further added.

    The internet in Pakistan has been slow since July, which has caused many digital businesses to lose money and many freelancers to lose their jobs.

  • Update on petition against slowdown of Internet in Pakistan

    Update on petition against slowdown of Internet in Pakistan

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) reserved its decision on the petition against the slowdown of the Internet across the country.

    At the beginning of the hearing, the court adjourned it by ordering the federal government counsel to appear at 12 noon after taking instructions from the relevant authorities.

    On the resumption of the hearing after a break, Justice Shakeel Ahmed remarked that this is a public interest plea. The court will pass appropriate orders on it, but I am reserving the decision now.

    Federal lawyer Rana Nauman said that the court requested that we give us time to file a detailed report on the Internet shutdown. Later, the judge asked the lawyer if this was a sign of your seriousness; you did not have adequate information.

    Later, the court reserved the decision.

    Earlier, the Lahore High Court (LHC), during the hearing of a petition against the slowdown of the internet, ordered the federal government’s lawyer to appear at 12 noon after taking instructions from relevant authorities.

    The petitioner had said, “Internet has been slowed down in Pakistan due to unknown reasons, and IT-related businesses are being badly affected by this shutdown. The world is moving to the latest technology, and Pakistan’s IT sector is being destroyed. Pakistani companies and youth are earning billions of foreign exchange from IT.”

    The sudden slowdown of the Internet and social media apps in the country, without any prior notice or reason, is a clear violation of fundamental rights. This action has not only disrupted daily life but also hindered the freedom of expression and access to information.

    The court requested that the government be bound not to shut down the Internet in the future. Justice Shakeel Ahmed of the High Court will hear the request today.

  • Extremely slow internet may threaten survival of e-commerce: ISPs

    Extremely slow internet may threaten survival of e-commerce: ISPs

    The Internet Server Providers (ISPs) Association has stated that the internet speed in Pakistan has decreased by 30 to 40 per cent, which may threaten the survival of e-commerce and other digital platforms.

    “The government’s decision to increase security and surveillance has had the unintended consequence of reducing internet speeds by 30 to 40 percent over the past few weeks. Internet slowdowns have created chaos for online and Internet-dependent businesses,, particularly affecting call centres, e-commerce professionals, the online working class, and electronic businesses,” ISPs wrote in a statement.

    “The sectors that underpin Pakistan’s burgeoning digital economy are now grappling with the challenge of staying afloat. The threat of slow internet speeds looms large, endangering the survival of these businesses. The situation has become so dire that many entrepreneurs contemplate relocating their operations to other countries. If this trend persists, we could witness a significant exodus of businesses from Pakistan,” ISPs added.

    The government’s experimental implementation of the firewall has reduced the speed of social media in Pakistan and raised fears about the future of Internet-based businesses in the country.

    Internet services have been severely affected in the country for several days now, and people connected with online businesses and domestic users have started to suspect that the internet is not working. Whether connecting on WhatsApp, shopping online, uploading a photo, or watching a video, internet speed has become a topic of discussion across the country.

  • PTA responds to internet service problems across Pakistan

    PTA responds to internet service problems across Pakistan

    The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) addressed complaints about slow internet across Pakistan on Thursday.

    A Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology meeting, led by Palwasha Khan, discussed the issue, according to ARY News.

    Senators Afnanullah Khan and Humayun Mohmand highlighted that many e-commerce platforms are leaving Pakistan due to poor internet speeds. Khan also noted that users are experiencing difficulties uploading or downloading media files on WhatsApp.

    “You’ve messed up the business activities,” Senator Humayun pointed out to PTA and IT ministry officials at the meeting. In response, the IT Secretary stated, “The problem with internet services is due to cellular networks, not WiFi.”

    The PTA official added that they have not yet received any formal complaints about slow internet speeds in the country.

    The PTA officials were expected to provide information about firewall installations during the meeting, but due to their unavailability, the meeting was postponed.

    The Pakistani government has installed a firewall across Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to manage social media. This decision followed the introduction of the Defamation Law 2024 by the Punjab government. The firewall aims to control social media and regulate internet traffic using deep packet inspection (DPI) technology to monitor data in detail.