The Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited has issued an unexpected advisory about slow performance on Meta platforms. The company has announced that Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and other Meta services will run slower for 36 hours. The slowdown will start after midnight on December 11 and will continue until the afternoon of December 12.
PTCL Says Planned Maintenance Will Cause Temporary Issues
According to the company, engineers will conduct planned upgrades during this window. The technical activity will begin at 1am on Thursday and will continue until 1pm on Friday. PTCL has said that these upgrades may affect Meta services and reduce their speed for users across the country.
Moreover, a senior PTCL official has acknowledged receiving many complaints about slow performance in recent days. The official said users have reported delays or intermittent connection problems on several Meta platforms. Although the advisory links these issues to planned maintenance, users remain uncertain about the actual cause.
Meta Has Not Confirmed Any Major Service Maintenance
Meta has not shared details about specific maintenance during the announced period. The company has also not confirmed if the slowdown will impact all regions or only selected areas. This lack of clarity has added confusion among users who rely on these platforms daily.
Furthermore, the ‘Meta AI’ tool has denied issuing any official notice about maintenance. It has said that no service degradation notice has been released for Facebook, Instagram, or other Meta applications. Instead, it has advised users to check official status pages for verified updates.
Warnings About Fake Notices Circulating Online
The AI tool has also pointed out that the circulating notice resembles a common phishing tactic. Such messages often mimic official announcements to trick users into following suspicious instructions. It has urged users to avoid SMS alerts that ask them to send codes or contact unknown numbers.
Additionally, the tool has explained that Meta performs scheduled maintenance from time to time. These activities usually help improve security, update backend systems, and enhance performance. However, it emphasised that only official channels should be trusted for confirmation of date-specific maintenance.
Users Advised to Stay Alert During the 36-Hour Window
Because of the advisory and the circulation of fake messages, users are urged to stay cautious. They should avoid engaging with suspicious links or texts pretending to be from Meta. PTCL has also advised users to expect reduced speed and possible delays while using Meta apps during the maintenance period.
Although the situation has caused confusion, the company has insisted that the activity will help improve long-term service stability. The maintenance is expected to end by Friday afternoon, after which performance should return to normal.
