Unexpected Internet Disruption Jolts UAE Weekend

Instead of a Long Weekend, a Flawed Internet Connection – What Happened in the UAE?

In the United Arab Emirates, residents are accustomed to outstanding internet speed, with one of the world's fastest connections at their disposal. Therefore, the unexpected slowdown that occurred on the first weekend of September 2025 was particularly noticeable and disruptive – during a three-day long weekend. The deterioration in the internet's quality affected not only entertainment but also work, as it was linked to damage to underwater cables running beneath the Red Sea.

The Root of the Issue: Underwater Cable Cuts

Cable cuts in the Red Sea area affected several countries, including the UAE. These optical cables running deep below the sea play a crucial role in handling data traffic, so any damage or breakage in them impacts the entire region's internet connectivity. According to an official statement by Microsoft, the noticeable slowdown began on September 6 at 9:45 am (local time). Although the traffic was rerouted through alternative channels, these were not able to completely substitute the original bandwidth, resulting in increased latency.

The Impact on Daily Life

Many had plans for online entertainment over the long weekend: watching films, playing video games, engaging on social media, and some even intended to progress with work from home. Instead, masses complained about the faltering service, and social media feeds were flooded with frustrated comments.

The most commonly reported issues included:

Continuous buffering of videos on Netflix, YouTube, and other streaming services

Slow browsing, page-loading errors

Disrupted connections and missing sound during video games

Interruptions in telecommuting video conferencing tools (e.g., Zoom, Teams)

Delays in browsing and messaging via mobile networks

Exacerbating the situation was the fact that the issue wasn’t restricted to just one city. According to Downdetector reports, complaints were coming from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Al Ain, Fujairah, Jebel Ali, and Umm Al Quwain.

Instead of Joys of Streaming and Gaming, Frustration

For most residents, the weekend serves as a refuge from weekday stress. Many anticipated relaxing with their favorite movies, series, or video games. However, the slow connection and faltering service thwarted these plans.

For example, those who wished to stream a live game to friends faced disappointment. Videos often paused, audio connections disrupted, making interactive experiences unenjoyable. Many of the affected individuals tried every tool at their disposal: console reboots, router resets, speed tests – but none resolved the problem.

Remote Workers Didn’t Fare Much Better

The issue wasn’t limited to entertainment but extended to work as well. Several residents reported connection losses during important video meetings, and repeated reconnecting hampered productive work. Tasks scheduled for the long weekend were left incomplete or executed in a stressful environment.

This serves as another warning for companies that have transitioned to hybrid work: even in technologically advanced countries, events may occur that make remote work unfeasible.

When Will Order Be Restored?

According to Microsoft's statement, most data traffic continued to function with the use of alternative routes, but increased traffic might lead to delays, congestion, and instability. The provider promised daily updates on the status.

It is important to be aware that repairing underwater cables does not happen overnight. Pinpointing the exact location, deploying necessary repair ships, and considering weather conditions can all delay the process.

How to Prepare for Similar Situations?

Although such failures are rare, it is still worth thinking ahead:

Important documents should be stored in offline-accessible formats.

Where possible, use mobile internet backup connections (such as 5G modems).

Companies should maintain redundant internet connections from different providers.

Instead of streaming, it might be temporarily worthwhile to watch downloaded content.

Summary

The internet slowdown during the three-day long weekend highlighted how much our lives rely on a stable online connection. Whether it’s entertainment, work, or simple communication, an internet disruption can trigger a domino effect. Although UAE is a worldwide leader in digital infrastructure, the incident also demonstrated that even the most advanced systems are not immune to natural or technical constraints. Tackling such situations requires not only technical preparedness but also mental readiness – especially when a whole weekend's relaxation depends on it.

(Based on an official statement by Microsoft.)