Internet Speed Slows Down Amid VPN Surge

A recent report by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has revealed that the surge in Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) usage is a major contributor to internet slowdowns in the country, resulting in significant economic losses and straining bandwidth.

The report found that VPNs redirect traffic to international servers, bypassing local content delivery networks (CDNs), which account for 70% of internet delivery in Pakistan. This has led to inefficiencies and increased costs, with each megabyte of data consumed via VPNs costing approximately $1. The PTA recorded high VPN bandwidth usage in recent months, with a peak of 815 Gbps in October, before stabilizing at 437 Gbps in December. The authority emphasizes the need for a robust strategy to manage VPN usage and enhance local internet infrastructure to minimize economic and operational impacts.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's major internet service provider, Pakistan Telecommunications Limited (PTCL), has stated that there is no exact timeframe for the resolution of slow internet connectivity caused by a fault in the Asia-Africa-Europe-1 (AAE-1) undersea internet cable. The cable, which connects Pakistan to Europe and Africa, has been causing disruptions since 2024. Although PTCL claims to have added additional bandwidth to mostly resolve the internet slowness issue, internet speed might still be slow on some Meta-owned services like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, especially during peak hours.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and PTCL are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible, but no exact timeframe has been given. The repair of such faults can take up to three months, according to technical personnel. The slow internet speed has caused economic losses, with Pakistan reportedly topping the list of countries affected by internet shutdowns, highlighting the need for urgent action to address the issue and ensure a stable and efficient internet connectivity.

The surge in VPN usage and undersea cable faults have resulted in slow internet speeds, causing significant economic losses and straining bandwidth, with Pakistan bearing the brunt of internet shutdowns globally.