Internet speed in Pakistan to rise with new SEA ME WE 6 connection

Pakistan’s international internet capacity has received a major upgrade following the activation of the South-East Asia–Middle East–Western Europe 6 (SEA-ME-WE 6) submarine cable system, the Ministry of Science and Technology announced on Saturday.

The new 19,200-kilometre fibre-optic network connects Pakistan to key global digital hubs from Singapore to France, significantly improving the country’s online speed and network resilience.

According to the ministry, SEA-ME-WE 6 is designed to deliver over 100 terabits per second (Tbps) of total system capacity, making it one of the highest-capacity and lowest-latency routes linking Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Western Europe.

Pakistan Receives 13.2 Tbps — 4 Tbps Activated Immediately

Under the deployment plan, Pakistan has been allocated 13.2 Tbps, out of which 4 Tbps has already been activated, marking one of the most substantial bandwidth boosts in recent years.

The additional capacity is expected to enhance the performance of:

• Cloud services

• Data centres

• Fintech platforms

• E-commerce businesses

• Streaming services

• Digital enterprises

Officials say this upgrade will significantly strengthen Pakistan’s digital infrastructure and help support the rapidly growing online economy.

Higher Capacity & Stronger Resilience

The SEA-ME-WE 6 system includes more fibre pairs and double the capacity of earlier SEA-ME-WE networks, ensuring improved resilience on high-traffic Asia–Europe data routes.

The ministry added that the system offers:

• Geo-diversified crossings through Egypt

• Enhanced fault protection

• Faster scalability

• Lower operational costs for telecom operators

These features contribute to greater redundancy for global internet connectivity and add a critical new layer to Pakistan’s digital backbone.

Recent Submarine Cable Developments

Earlier this year, in February 2025, Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) successfully landed the Africa-1 submarine cable in Karachi, further strengthening the country’s international connectivity corridor.