In September 2025, several undersea fibre cables in the Red Sea were damaged, causing disruptions to a major internet corridor linking Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. The disruption was also felt in the United Arab Emirates, where users of internet providers Du and Etisalat reported slow. Internet services on Etisalat and du networks in the United Arab Emirates were disrupted on Saturday, resulting in slow speeds and intermittent access, as engineers worked to repair cut fibre-optic cables in the Red Sea. Fibre optic cables on the ocean Floor. Users experienced slow or unstable connections, with repairs expected to take time. So why did internet in the UAE still feel fast? Here's what really happened — and what Dubai businesses can do to stay online during any future slowdown.
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