Due to a cut in SeaMeWe-3 (a submarine internet cable) on the 3rd of December - reported by Vocus an international telecommunications company located in Australia - users have been complaining about slowed internet speeds across Egypt, which has affected browsing, streaming and downloading speeds; even blocked torrent clients.

Akher Al-Anbaa’s TE Data sources say that a team is working on fixing the problem, with the 1st of January the expected date for completing the maintenance, after which services are expected to work properly.

Until the problem is resolved, many have been using VPN services like Hotspot Shield, which uses servers located in other countries and provides a much higher speed than what you are experiencing. However, the speed will not be equal to the speed your ISP provides you.

Other users have reported that their internet hasn’t been affected, and this is due to using ISPs other than TE Data and Etisalat: like Orange, which is on the SeaMeWe-5, as well as, TE Data. It is speculated that ISPs are prioritizing certain services, until they are done with maintenance.

According to submarinecablemap.com, the SeaMeWe-3 cable stretches from Australia to Southeast Asia, and lands in Alexandria, Egypt. Local Internet Service Providers (ISPs) like TE Data and Etisalat are owners of it along with countless (ISPs) internationally.
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 By Adel M. Fakhry

Cover by Submarine Cable Map