Looks like 2020 will arrive with a loading screen.
On Sunday, the Asia-America Gateway (AAG) undersea cable encountered unspecified problems according to internet service provider Vietnam Post and Telecommunication Corporation (VNPT). The 20,000-kilometer submarine link connects the US and Asia and carries 60% of Vietnam's international internet traffic.
The AAG cable. Image via VNPT.
The disturbance of the US$560 million cable caused 1,100 Gigabits (Gb) out of a total of 3,785 Gb to be lost, reports Dan Tri. A previous section 163 miles off the coast of Vung Tau was reportedly damaged on November 14. Repair efforts to that first malfunctioning section are set to be completed on January 2, but specific plans or time frames haven't been released for this new snafu.
Making matters worse, two other cable lines, the Intra-Asia (IA) and the Asia-Africa-Europe-1 (AAE-1), have also been experiencing problems. The IA will be partially repaired by January 20 and fully repaired by February 2.
Sadly, slow internet is nothing new in Vietnam. It seems that numerous times every year a cable breaks, and the repair process can be long and painful.
[Top image via CNN]
