Damage to fibre optic cables disrupts PTCL, cellular services in Pakistan

PTCL data and cellular services in different parts of the country were disrupted Monday owing to a major fault in the PTCL back-end network.

Internet subscribers of different cellular companies reportedly also faced difficulties due to the disruption, it was reported.

The outage also brought to halt Pakistan Railway's e-ticketing system.

PTCL and Ufone subscribers in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar reported degraded services, according to DawnNews.

Ufone is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PTCL. Both companies use the same cable to provide internet services, reported DawnNews.

Outages were also confirmed in Mandi Bahauddin, Rajanpur, Multan, Jhelum, Hyderabad and Larkana.

PTCL spokesperson said that it was a multiple cable cut at different places which caused the breakdown and the authorities are investigating the case.

The officials said efforts were underway to restore the services. However, company sources declined to provide a timeline in which the problem would be rectified, reported DawnNews.

“The restoration work has started, its being carried out at areas near Karachi and Hub,” the spokesperson added.

In a tweet from the official PTCL Twitter account, the company said: “We are currently facing major outage on our network, due to which internet service to some of our users have been affected.”

"Our teams are working on-ground to restore the service as soon as possible. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused."

Imran Janjua, General Manager Public Outreach, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) said teams have been dispatched to identify the cause of disruption.

PTCL officials also clarified that their land-line services are working fine across the country.

In a separate unverified tweet from a local Twitter account, it was claimed that developmental work in Karachi's Nooriabad area caused damage to PTCL's fibre optic network, resulting in the outage.

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Baloch

Dec 26, 2016 06:06pm

PTCL landline network is not working Quetta Neither ufone. No internet service from PTCL either. Check the facts before you comment.

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Taimur

Dec 26, 2016 06:10pm

According to a tweet by PTCL "some" of the subscribers are facing problem. PTCL must define what they mean by 'some'. Internet is down in almost all major cities so the impacted subscribers can be in millions. Those who are responsible must be held answerable. Is it so that there was no physical redundancy? What about the service level agreement - time threshold to handle emergencies? Who will compensate the huge financial loss due to this major outage which has lasted for more than hour and still continued? Shall the backend support ( by the vendor) be held responsible or we will ignore it using the lame excuse that the vendor is from a country which is our close friend.

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Dec 26, 2016 06:11pm

This breakdown demonstrates that the PTCL network topology is deficient with multiple single points of failure. PTCL management is highly irresponsible for allowing the internet to go down because of lack of investment in redundancy of its network knowing fully well that PTCL is the primary internet provider in the country. There ought to be accountability for this lackadaisical attitude. PTC needs to set appropriate standards for compliance

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Sajjad

Dec 26, 2016 06:16pm

In normal working, it is PTCL's daily routine for me. I recently bought new broadband connection and facing mental torture.

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Mandy

Dec 26, 2016 06:29pm

Does this still happens in Pakistan in the 21st century?

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Taimur

Dec 26, 2016 06:39pm

@AW Exactly - and we must not forget that PTCL was privatized few years ago. What improvement that privatization brought? The mindset of PTCL management is the same. Shall Etisalat prefer the same level of support for its customers in UAE? If not, who is responsible to enforce them to maintain quality and continuity? If this is PTA then that organization is a total failure in itself.

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Philosopher(from japan)

Dec 26, 2016 06:45pm

But I read a few weeks back our info minister (award winner) quoted about the start of a service of 4/5G in Pakistan. Isn't?

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khanm

Dec 26, 2016 06:50pm

a step towards privatization i guess... An iron does not rust of its own for it requires oxygen, chloride and moisture from the environment to corrode. Similarly, a citizen's life remains robust until the surrounding is vitiated from all around..

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Arshad Hussain Khan

Dec 26, 2016 07:20pm

Yeah Yeah Yeah. Issues might be new. But we keep on suffering as usual. Dear PTCL.

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arsalan ahmed

Dec 26, 2016 07:18pm

@Mandy We live in 23rd century

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Bilal

Dec 26, 2016 07:35pm

This is the time to realize the presence of another company as the competitor. We know our system nobody will be penalized and after two days we all will forget this also. The contract shall be reviewed for the provision of redundancy.

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omer khan shaheen

Dec 26, 2016 07:44pm

No redundancy in the ring???Must be some great network engineering team (PTCL). Great Work!

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Sameer

Dec 26, 2016 08:47pm

Ptcl landlines are down. This goes to show the weaknesses in our cyber infrastructure. More to that when I tried calling any number I was told by IVR that my line's been disconnected due to no billin.g Abhorent service...last date of billing is 5th jan and I paid up on 23rd this week. At least put in a different error message rather than confuse the masses with incorrect information. If this is HELLO TO THE FUTURE...than we are deeply screwed.

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Tariq

Dec 26, 2016 08:58pm

People using PTCL's internet services, if or when other options are available, have themselves to blame. Possibly the worst company in Pakistan when it comes to disruption of service.

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Ghaznavi

Dec 26, 2016 09:04pm

Just saw some tv networks are reporting damage to submarine cables.

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Arslan

Dec 26, 2016 09:17pm

No internet from almost 4pm to 8pm today in Multan. Landline was working. Funny how damage to a single optic cable can black out internet in almost the whole country. No back up plans.

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Anwar

Dec 26, 2016 10:19pm

The Internet service was also remained suspended in Bajaur, Dir and Swat areas from 3pm to 9 pm.

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Anwar bAJAUR

Dec 26, 2016 11:00pm

The Internet service was also remained suspended from 3 pm to 9 pm in Bajaur, Dir, Swat and Malakand

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DawnTech

Dec 27, 2016 02:58pm

@Taimur exactly, PTCL are big lairs along with there incompetency. Services were down at 3:00 pm where PTCL wakeup at 5:00 pm. When social media and electronic media start hitting and bashing them.. after spending billions and earning billions this is what customer got..HELL TO PTCL

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DawnTech

Dec 27, 2016 11:10pm

@Taimur PTCL ethically dead. only corruptions and incompetency rested in PTCL. Useless management in the history of PTCL. Where is PTA? what is its role? PTA supposed to ask PTCL and PTCL supposed to submit the report. where is it?

Recommend 0

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