Internet services disrupted due to submarine cable breakdown

Internet service providers (ISPs) as well as users are experiencing slow speed across the country as internet services was disrupted following a breakdown of the country’s second submarine cable (SEA-ME-WE 5) in the wee hour on Saturday.

State-owned Bangladesh Submarine Cables PLC (BSCPLC) said fibre cable broke in Singapore triggering the disruption.

BSCPLC managing director Mirza Kamal Ahmed told Prothom Alo, “The SEA-ME-WE 5 supplies 1,600 gpbs bandwidth to the country and entire supply remains halted for now. We are trying for alternatives with the country’s first submarine cable SEA-ME-WE 4.”

“Several countries also experience similar situation like Bangladesh due to the fibre cable breakdown in Singapore, and when the service will be restored could be known by Saturday afternoon,” he added.

Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB) president Md Emdadul Hoque told Prothom Alo that users are making calls complaining over slow internet speed.

There is currently a demand of 5,500 gpbs bandwidth in the country. State-owned BSCPLC supplies over 2,500 gpbs bandwidth while private firms provide the rest of the bandwidth through international terrestrial cable.