Islamabad: A cutting-edge undersea internet cable is due to connect Pakistan to the 2Africa Submarine Cable System – one of the world’s largest submarine cable systems – the country’s telecommunication regulator said on Tuesday.
According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the development will significant enhance internet speed in the country.
Internet users have reported widespread connectivity issues across Pakistan in recent months.
However, the country’s telecommunication regulatory body downplays the reports.
“Largest submarine cable systems”
As one of the world’s largest submarine cable systems, the 2Africa cable spans 45,000 kilometres and connects 46 locations across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Utilising SDM1 technology, it offers 180Tbps capacity, according to a statement issued by PTA.
“Supported by a global consortium of eight partners, including Meta and Vodafone, the 2Africa cable is set to go live in Pakistan by Q4 2025,” the statement read.
Commencement of phase 1 of the project, involving Pre-Lay Shore End (PLSE) installation, began on December 1, 2024, with the cable landing at Hawksbay, Karachi.
Phase 2, the deep-sea cable lay will commence on April 1, 2025.
This project will improve Pakistan’s international telecommunications infrastructure and enhance connectivity.
The enhanced bandwidth will also improve the performance of platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram.
A local media outlet quoted the head of Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), Pakistan’s primary representative body for the IT industry, as saying, “Temporarily, we faced limited internet issues in certain areas, but these have now largely been resolved”.
Sajjad Mustafa Syed explained that while the new cable is not yet active, it is expected to be operational next year.
“Temporarily, we faced limited internet issues in certain areas, but these have now largely been resolved.” – P@SHA head Sajjad Mustafa Syed
Syed also highlighted that four additional major internet lines, including support for 5G, are in the pipeline and will permanently resolve connectivity issues.
“Infrastructure requires support in every area, we need 5G because of bandwidth congestion, and we also need fibre connectivity for our mobile towers. Moreover, linkages with international cables and internet networks are essential,” the P@SHA chairman said.
