PTCL warns internet may run slow until November 2 as repairs continue on AAE-1 cable

ISLAMABAD — The Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has warned that internet speeds across the country may dip while emergency repairs continue on a major international submarine cable. The work is expected to run until November 2, 2026, and users could notice the slowdown most during busy evening hours.

The repairs are being carried out on the AAE-1 (Asia-Africa-Europe 1) cable, on the section between Italy and France. PTCL says the work has already begun and that users may experience minor service degradation. Because the affected stretch sits on the European route, websites and services hosted in Europe are the likeliest to load slowly.

Why AAE-1 matters so much to Pakistan

AAE-1 is one of the most important routes for Pakistan’s international internet traffic. Stretching about 25,000 kilometres, it links Southeast Asia to Europe via Egypt and lands in Karachi. PTCL has operated on the cable since 2017, with European landing points in Greece, Italy and France. That is why a fault on a European stretch still shows up on screens in Pakistan, thousands of kilometres away.

This has happened before

For Pakistani users, this is familiar territory. In January 2025, a fault near Qatar on the same cable slowed internet speeds nationwide for nearly two weeks before PTCL announced the repair. This time the company has appealed to customers for patience and cooperation, but it has not said whether additional backup bandwidth will be provided while the maintenance continues.

What users should expect

PTCL is not describing a shutdown. The warning is about slower performance at peak times: browsing, video streaming, online meetings and downloads may lag, and businesses that depend on international connections could feel it too. The impact will vary from user to user. If the problem persists after the maintenance window ends, customers are advised to contact their internet service provider for help.