Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited has announced that internet users across the country may experience slower connectivity due to scheduled maintenance work on an international submarine cable system. The maintenance activity is planned to repair a fault in coordination with an international cable consortium. Moreover, the company warned that service quality may temporarily decline during the maintenance window.
According to the announcement, the maintenance work will begin on May 11, 2026, and may continue until May 18, 2026, depending on technical requirements and repair progress. During this period, users may experience degraded internet performance, particularly during peak evening hours when network traffic is usually high. Consequently, both residential and business users could face intermittent connectivity issues.
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PTCL stated that the maintenance is necessary to ensure long-term stability and improved performance of international internet connectivity routes serving Pakistan. The company added that submarine cables play a critical role in carrying global internet traffic, and periodic repairs are essential for preventing major disruptions. Therefore, temporary inconvenience is expected in exchange for long-term service reliability.
Officials also noted that this is the second scheduled maintenance-related slowdown in the past two months, as similar work was carried out between April 14 and April 20. That earlier maintenance also affected internet performance temporarily across multiple regions. In addition, repeated upgrades reflect ongoing efforts to strengthen digital infrastructure capacity.
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Meanwhile, Pakistan’s telecom sector has recently seen developments in advanced connectivity, including early rollout of 5G services in selected areas following the issuance of spectrum licences. The government also completed a major spectrum auction earlier this year, raising significant revenue through the sale of 480 megahertz of frequency bands. As a result, the country is gradually expanding its next-generation communication capabilities.
Despite short-term disruptions, telecom authorities say such maintenance activities are necessary to support growing internet demand and ensure stable long-term service delivery. Users have been advised to expect minor slowdowns and plan accordingly during peak usage hours. Therefore, service providers continue to balance infrastructure upgrades with maintaining user connectivity.