New Report Challenges Govt & PTA Blame on VPNs for Internet Slowdown

The ongoing debate over slow internet speeds in Pakistan has taken a new turn with the release of a report by Bytesforall, titled “Slow Internet in Pakistan and the Smokescreen of VPNs.” The report challenged the government’s narrative, which blames the frequent use of VPNs for the nationwide internet slowdown.

The Bytesforall report involved comprehensive speed tests on multiple ISPs using advanced network diagnostic tools. These tests compared network performance with and without VPNs, analyzing latency rates, upload and download speeds, and TCP retransmissions. Contrary to the government’s claims, the report found that internet quality actually improved when using VPNs, indicating that VPNs aren’t the real culprits behind the slow internet.

A few days ago, the State Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, claimed that the use of VPNs is leading to network congestion and slow internet. In a press conference, she dismissed accusations that the government is intentionally slowing down internet services. “Using a VPN can cause your phone to slow down,” she stated, emphasizing that the government has not taken any deliberate actions to restrict internet access.

Simultaneously, in a detailed response to the Lahore High Court (LHC), the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) acknowledged that internet speeds in the country had decreased because of the four key factors. These include a damaged submarine cable, an internet company’s mishandling on July 31, a cyberattack on August 15, and excessive use of VPNs.

Despite these explanations, Bytesforall’s findings indicate that the problem may be more complex than the government isn’t willing to admit.

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