Internet slows for maintenance work

Internet has slowed down in Bangladesh since yesterday morning due to the maintenance work of the country's lone submarine cable.

On early Sunday, the connection with the eastern side of the South East Asia–Middle East–Western Europe 4 (SEA-ME-WE 4) was shut down for the scheduled maintenance, said Moshiur Rahman, general manager for operation and maintenance of Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Ltd.

However, an alternative connection was established through some Chennai-based operators, he said.

“There are some disruptions but customers are facing it lightly.”

Earlier on October 20, Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Ltd (BTCL) in a statement said the SEA-ME-WE-4 consortium would carry out the maintenance work of the undersea cable at its Singapore end from 12:00am of October 23 to 2:00pm of October 27 that may disrupt internet service temporarily in the country.

Bangladesh is now connected with SEA-ME-WE-4 and will join another consortium, SEA-ME-WE-5, in December.

However, despite the disruption, BTCL would continue its services through alternative means, Tohura Sultana, assistant director of BTCL, said.

Submarine cable engineers usually complete maintenance work before the schedule, and this time will not be an exception, telecom officials said.