Pakistan Strengthens Digital Backbone as Internet Capacity Climbs to 17 Tbps

Pakistan’s international internet capacity has risen to 17.21 Tbps, with 13.01 Tbps now active across multiple submarine cable systems, according to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s latest briefing. The expansion comes as the country prepares to integrate several next-generation undersea cables expected to further boost bandwidth, stability, and routing resilience.

Pakistan’s Digital Backbone Expands Across Multiple Cable Systems

Pakistan currently draws its global connectivity from a mix of long-standing and new submarine cables operated by PTCL, Transworld (TWA), Cybernet and SCO.

According to the PTA, the installed and active capacities across major systems include:

• AAE-1: 4.77 Tbps installed, 3.58 Tbps active

• SMW4: 2.58 Tbps installed, 1.98 Tbps active

• IMEWE: 2.76 Tbps installed, 1.9 Tbps active

• TWA1: 2.8 Tbps installed, 2.6 Tbps active

• PEACE Cable: 1.6 Tbps installed, 0.8 Tbps active

• Pak-China OFC: 1 Tbps installed, 0.45 Tbps active

These systems collectively link Pakistan to international hubs in Oman, Fujairah, France (Marseilles) and Singapore, giving operators multiple redundant paths to mitigate service disruptions.

Massive National Fiber Footprint

PTA’s presentation also highlighted the breadth of the country’s domestic optical-fiber footprint:

• 75,967 km of long-haul fiber

• 135,506 km of metro fiber networks

This backbone forms the foundation for broadband expansion, carrier services, 4G/5G networks and enterprise connectivity nationwide.

Next-Gen Submarine Cables on the Way

Pakistan is now preparing for a major upgrade phase. The PTA confirmed that:

• 2Africa, a 45,000-km mega-cable and the world’s longest subsea system, is being fast-tracked for early commissioning.

• Africa1 (PTCL) and SMW6 (TWA) are also under development.

Once live, these new cables are expected to dramatically improve Pakistan’s international bandwidth, lower latency for digital businesses, and enhance resilience against regional cable cuts, an issue that has repeatedly caused widespread slowdowns.

Stronger International Bandwidth, Fewer Outages Ahead

Officials say Pakistan’s capacity growth, combined with new cable landings, positions the country for a more reliable, future-ready digital infrastructure. With data consumption rising, cloud adoption accelerating, and 5G readiness underway, the upcoming subsea systems are expected to ease pressure on existing networks and strengthen the nation’s digital continuity.

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