Internet users across Pakistan may experience slow speeds and service disruptions on January 15, as scheduled maintenance work is set to take place on one of the country’s international submarine internet cables.
The advisory was issued by major internet service providers, including Nayatel, which informed customers that an unavoidable maintenance activity will begin at around 2:00 PM and could continue for up to eight hours, potentially affecting connectivity nationwide.
In a notification shared with subscribers, Nayatel said the work involves one of Pakistan’s submarine cables — critical infrastructure that carries international internet traffic into the country. While the company did not specify which cable is undergoing maintenance or the exact location of the issue, it warned that users may face noticeable internet slowness during the repair window.
When to Expect Slow Internet
According to the advisory, disruptions are expected during peak usage hours:
Date: Thursday, January 15, 2026
Time: Approximately 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM
During this period, users may encounter slower browsing speeds, buffering while streaming videos, higher latency in online gaming, and interruptions in video calls or large data transfers.
Why Submarine Cable Maintenance Matters
Submarine cables form the backbone of Pakistan’s international internet connectivity. Any maintenance or fault at the upstream provider level often requires traffic to be rerouted through alternate links. While this prevents a complete outage, it can lead to congestion, increased latency, and reduced speeds for end users.
ISPs typically attempt to manage traffic during such periods, but limitations in available backup capacity mean that some level of disruption is often unavoidable.
Recent Context Raises Concerns
The planned maintenance comes shortly after a major internet slowdown earlier this month. On January 1, 2026, users across Pakistan reported widespread connectivity issues caused by problems at an upstream internet provider. That disruption lasted for more than 48 hours, impacting businesses, freelancers, and digital services nationwide.
If internet speeds are again affected on January 15, it would mark the second instance in two weeks of degraded connectivity — highlighting Pakistan’s heavy reliance on a limited number of international submarine cables.
What Users Should Do
Internet service providers have advised customers to plan critical online tasks accordingly. While a complete blackout is not expected, users relying on stable connections for work, education, or business operations may want to schedule essential activities outside the affected hours where possible.
ISPs say services should gradually stabilize once maintenance work is completed.
