ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has provided an update on the 2Africa Submarine cable project for Pakistan, announcing the expected operational date. According to a PTA press release, the cable, supported by a global consortium of eight partners, including Meta and Vodafone, is set to go live in Pakistan by the fourth quarter of 2025.
The PTA highlighted its efforts to enhance international connectivity, facilitated by Transworld Associate (TWA), the landing partner for the 2Africa Submarine cable in Pakistan.
The 2Africa cable, one of the world’s largest submarine cable systems, spans 45,000 kilometers, linking 46 locations across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. With SDM1 technology, it offers a remarkable 180Tbps capacity.
The PTA also mentioned that Phase I of the project, which involves the Pre-Lay Shore End (PLSE) installation, began on December 1, 2024, at Hawksbay, Karachi. Phase II, which involves the deep-sea cable laying, will start on April 1, 2025.
This project is expected to significantly improve Pakistan’s international telecommunications infrastructure and boost connectivity.
In related news, Pakistan currently ranks lower than countries like Palestine, Bhutan, Ghana, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, and Libya in terms of internet speed. The average mobile internet download speed in Pakistan is 19.59 Mbps, while broadband averages 15.52 Mbps. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) leads globally in both mobile and broadband internet speeds, with Singapore and Qatar leading in mobile and broadband speeds, respectively.
