PEACE Cable: Pakistan's Highest Bandwidth Undersea Internet Connection to Africa and Europe

Pakistan and East Africa Connecting Europe (PEACE) is  96 Tbps (terabits per second), 15,000 km long, privately owned submarine cable that will originate in Karachi, Pakistan and run underwater all the way to Marseilles, France via multiple points in the continent of Africa.  It is being built as part of Digital Silk Road sponsored by China. Cybernet and Jazz are the local landing and global connectivity partners of PEACE Cable System in Pakistan. It will enable high-speed access to a variety of content, cloud computing, gaming and video streaming platforms.  

PEACE Undersea Cable Route. Source: Submarine Cable Networks

The laying of PEACE undersea cable in Pakistan's territorial waters will begin in March, following government approval this month for Cybernet, a local internet service provider, to construct an Arabian Sea landing station in Karachi, according to Nikkei Asia. The Mediterranean section of the cable is already being laid, and runs from Egypt to France. The 15,000 kilometer-long cable is expected to go into service later this year.   
Mobile Broadband Subscriptions & Data Growth in Pakistan

A 820-kilometer long China-Pakistan fiber optic cable has already been laid between the city of Rawalpindi, Pakistan in the south and the Khunjerab Pass, China in the north  and operational since July, 2018. It is currently being extended to Karachi for connection to PEACE cable. 
Broadband Subscriptions Growth in Pakistan. Source: PTA

When completed, PEACE cable will be Pakistan's 7th highest bandwidth, lowest latency undersea connection to the global Internet system. Currently, there are 6 international submarine cable systems connecting Pakistan, including SMW3, SMW4, SMW5, IMEWE, AAE-1 and TW1. PTCL is the landing party in Pakistan for SMW3, SMW4, AAE-1 and IMEWE cable systems, operates cable landing stations in Karachi. SMW3, SMW4 and IMEWE land at Hawksbay, while AAE-1 lands at Clifton. Transworld Associates Private Limited (Transworld, or TWA) privately owns the TW1 cable system and is a member of the SMW5 consortium. Both TW1 and SMW5 land at Hawksbay and terminate at Transworld's cable landing station in Karachi.  
Pakistan has experienced a huge surge in Internet traffic during the COVID19 pandemic. Cellular Mobile Data usage in the country has soared from 2,545 petabytes in 2019 to 4,498 petabytes in 2020.  Total number of broadband subscriptions in the country has doubled from about 45 million in 2017 to 90 million in 2020,  according to the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority

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Comment by Riaz Haq on August 16, 2023 at 8:03am

Supernet Wins Major Optical Fiber Supply and Deployment Project worth PKR 150 million

https://www.techjuice.pk/supernet-wins-major-optical-fiber-supply-a...

Supernet Limited (“Supernet”) has secured a sizeable telecommunications infrastructure development project from a Pakistani mobile network operator.

The project valued at over PKR 150 million includes the supply of optical fiber and associated equipment and its deployment in different areas of Punjab. The total length of different segments constituting this project is approximately 140 kilometers.

With this project, Supernet has reached a significant milestone of 1,000 kilometers of optical fiber supply and deployment projects awarded by mobile network operators in Pakistan.

Head of Business Unit-Telecoms & Defense at Supernet, Ali Akhtar said:

“We are excited to play our part in the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure in Pakistan and supporting the proliferation of communications and digital services by mobile network operators in the country. We are ever grateful to our customers for repeatedly trusting Supernet. The optical fiber business line is a relatively new endeavour for Supernet and the 1,000 kilometres mark is a testament to our capabilities and the springboard for further growth in this segment. This is a strong start to 2022 and we will strive to keep the momentum going.”

Supernet Limited, one of Pakistan’s leading telecommunications service providers and systems integrators, has been operating since 1995. Supernet offers a full portfolio of local-to-global integrated communications infrastructure solutions to Telecoms, Defense, Enterprise, and Government entities.

Supernet’s “Connectivity” products and services include a broad spectrum of Wide Area Network (WAN) and Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) solutions based on satellite, fiber optics, microwave, and radios. In recent years, Supernet has established its expertise in domains including cybersecurity, power, networking, and surveillance solutions as part of its “Beyond Connectivity” initiative thereby offering a richer portfolio of solutions and services to customers.

Comment by Riaz Haq on October 4, 2024 at 8:07am

Asad Nasir
@asadnasir2000
The 🇵🇰 PTA has approved granting a license to 🛰️ Starlink, aiming to bring fast 🛜 internet services to the country.

This move is expected to improve digital connectivity nationwide.

https://x.com/asadnasir2000/status/1842166963885543676

------------------------------

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is poised to enhance internet connectivity in the country by preparing to grant a license to Starlink, the satellite internet venture led by Elon Musk.

PTA officials report that the decision to issue the license has been finalised, pending only security clearance.

"Starlink's license is ready; we are just awaiting security approval," confirmed PTA representatives.

The rollout of Starlink's high-speed satellite internet service is expected to significantly improve connectivity, particularly in rural and remote regions where conventional broadband options are often limited or slow.

In addition to the license, Starlink will be required to enter a commercial agreement with Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco). This agreement will also need PTA approval.

If all goes according to plan, Starlink is expected to launch its services in Pakistan within the next year, providing residents nationwide with access to reliable and fast satellite internet.

https://dunyanews.tv/en/Technology/841556-pta-to-issue-license-to-s...

Comment by Riaz Haq on January 4, 2025 at 11:05am

Elon Musk awaits Pakistan’s approval for Starlink launch

https://arynews.tv/elon-musk-awaits-pakistans-approval-for-starlink...

The SPACEX chief Elon Musk on Saturday said that he is awaiting approval from Pakistan government regarding the launch of Starlink in the country.

As per details, a conversation took place on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) between Pakistani social media user Sanam Jamali and Elon Musk, regarding the launch of Starlink in Pakistan.

As per details, Sanam requested Musk to introduce Starlink in Pakistan, stating that it could pave the way for a better future, providing internet connectivity and opportunities for citizens to move forward.

Musk responded, stating that he is awaiting approval from the Pakistani government to launch Starlink in the country. Starlink, owned by SpaceX, provides internet services through a vast network of satellites.

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1875530965734526983

Later, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) confirmed that talks between the government and Starlink are underway regarding the issuance of a license for satellite services.

According to PTA, the process is currently in its initial stages, as per Starlink’s request.

The PTA is reviewing the technical requirements for Starlink’s license, while the National Space Agency is examining the proposal under the national space policy.

The PTA emphasized that several technical aspects, including bandwidth, uplinking, and gateways, must be evaluated before issuing a license.

This procedure applies to all foreign satellite service providers, and regulatory approval will be required after obtaining clearance from the space agency.

Starlink

Starlink is a satellite internet constellation developed by SpaceX, a private aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company founded by Elon Musk. The constellation aims to provide fast, reliable, and global internet connectivity through a network of thousands of small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO).

This innovative technology has the potential to revolutionize the way we access the internet, especially in remote and underserved areas where traditional fiber-optic and cellular networks are limited or unavailable.

The Starlink constellation is designed to offer high-speed internet connectivity with latency as low as 20 ms, which is comparable to or even better than many existing fiber-optic networks.

Each Starlink satellite is equipped with a phased array antenna that allows it to communicate with multiple users simultaneously, providing a high-capacity and flexible network. With Starlink, users can enjoy fast and reliable internet access from virtually anywhere in the world, making it an exciting development for global connectivity and digital inclusion.

Comment by Riaz Haq on January 7, 2025 at 8:26pm

Starlink registered with Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan: IT Minister - Profit by Pakistan Today

https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2025/01/07/starlink-registered-...

Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja confirmed that Starlink, the satellite internet service owned by US billionaire Elon Musk, has been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).

“The Space Board Authority is currently reviewing various technical aspects, and we have communicated updates to Starlink,” the minister stated while speaking to Geo.tv.

She added that the government is working on a regulatory framework to open low earth orbit (LEO) satellite services to all international companies.

The development follows Musk’s remarks on social media platform X, where he stated that Starlink is awaiting approval to begin operations in Pakistan.

Government officials disclosed that international consultants are assisting in formulating a comprehensive policy for regulating non-jurisdictional and non-stationary LEO satellites.


In a related development, Pakistan is set to benefit from the 2Africa Submarine Cable System, which aims to significantly enhance internet speed and reliability. Facilitated by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) through Transworld Associates as the landing party, the cable is part of a global initiative involving Meta and Vodafone.

The 45,000-kilometre cable, equipped with state-of-the-art SDM1 technology and a capacity of 180 Tbps, will connect 46 locations across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Installation began on December 1, 2024, at Hawksbay, Karachi, with deep-sea laying planned to start in April 2025.

Once operational in Q4 2025, the system will provide Pakistan with 24 terabytes of bandwidth, significantly improving the performance of platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram.

Currently, the country relies on approximately 8 terabytes of bandwidth from seven existing cables.

Pakistan, grappling with slow internet speeds and frequent disruptions, ranks 100th out of 111 countries in mobile internet speeds and 141st out of 158 countries in broadband speeds, according to Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index. Download speeds stand at 20.61Mbps for mobile internet and 15.60Mbps for broadband.

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