Telecom sector suffers daily loss of Rs50m due to slow internet

Islamabad: Pakistan’s telecom sector is facing significant financial losses due to ongoing internet connectivity issues, with the industry reportedly losing at least 50 million rupees daily.

The issue came to light during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology, chaired by Federal Minister for IT Syed Aminul Haque.

In the session, the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) revealed that the telecom sector has suffered a staggering loss of 300 million rupees over the past six days as a result of persistent internet problems.

When questioned about the reasons behind the disruption in internet services, the PTA Chairman explained that the submarine cable consortium had reported a fault in one of the cables, which was affecting the country's internet connectivity.

Pakistan is currently connected through seven fiber optic cables, and one of these is malfunctioning.

The repairs are expected to be completed by August 27.

Besides it, the PTA Chairman pointed out that the use of VPNs further contributed to the slowdown of local internet services, exacerbating the issue.

The committee members expressed frustration over the absence of key officials from PTCL, particularly during a time of such critical concerns regarding the country's internet infrastructure.

In response, the committee’s chairman summoned PTCL's CEO or chairman to attend the next meeting to address the issue and provide further insights into the ongoing disruptions.

The internet issues have sparked concerns among businesses and consumers alike, with many calling for swift action to restore stable connectivity across the country.