The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has completed its investigation into the recent internet slowdown across the country and submitted a detailed report to the Ministry of Information Technology.
The investigation pinpointed the increased use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) as a major factor contributing to the strain on bandwidth. As a result, the PTA has recommended boosting bandwidth capacity to address the growing demand for internet services.
The PTA’s report, which compiled data from all major telecom operators, including PTCL, highlighted the impact on various network services. The slowdown affected social media, web browsing, and streaming platforms, with users reporting slower speeds and frequent disruptions.
Key findings of the investigation include:
- Complaints about issues accessing the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
- Reduced data traffic on major apps, such as TikTok.
- Performance problems with popular OTT platforms.
- Fixed-line operators, including PTCL, also experienced service disruptions on social media platforms during the slowdown.
- Users reported delays in video streaming, voice and video calls, and general web browsing. While telecom operators faced challenges, web browsing and data services were less affected compared to other applications.
In its report, the PTA stressed the urgent need to increase bandwidth to cope with the rising VPN usage. The authority has called on telecom operators to enhance their infrastructure to meet the growing internet demand, especially for bandwidth-heavy activities like streaming and real-time communication.
