The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has called for an increase in national bandwidth capacity to address challenges posed by the growing use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and network disruptions.
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Recent internet slowdowns in Pakistan have been attributed to a submarine cable fault near Qatar, which has exacerbated the strain on the country’s internet infrastructure.
The PTA has observed a significant surge in VPN usage, particularly during periods of internet disruptions. This increased VPN traffic bypasses local Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), which typically optimize data traffic for faster speeds, leading to congestion and slower internet speeds during peak hours.
To mitigate these challenges, the PTA has streamlined VPN registration processes for organizations and freelancers to regulate their usage. Additionally, it has started licensing VPN service providers, with two companies—ZETTABYTE and ALPHAS3CUBIC—already approaching the authority for licenses.
Efforts to enhance local internet infrastructure are also underway. The PTA has established three Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad to localize internet traffic exchange between service providers and reduce reliance on international routes. However, challenges remain, including the non-participation of key players like NTC and Comsats and limited routing by existing participants, which hampers the full potential of these IXPs.
The PTA emphasizes the urgent need to expand submarine cable capacity and improve domestic routing systems to address the dual challenges of internet slowness and economic losses. While the licensing of VPN service providers and the development of IXPs are steps in the right direction, comprehensive investment in local internet infrastructure remains critical to resolving these issues.
