Over the past week, Myanmar social media users, especially those in Yangon, Mandalay, and Mawlamyine, have been complaining about unusually slow Wi-Fi and mobile data speeds.

Many users on Facebook, Instagram, and Telegram are sharing screenshots of their speed-test results, showing drops to under 5 Mbps in areas that previously reached 20–30 Mbps.

Posts linking the slow internet to the upcoming junta sham election have gone viral, with hundreds of comments accusing authorities of deliberately throttling connections to suppress communication and independent reporting.

Users report difficulties accessing VPNs, online banking and even messaging apps. While some express frustration in humour, others warn that this could signal wider censorship or surveillance, comparing it to the shutdowns that followed the 2021 coup.

According to recent data from Speedtest and SpeedGeo, Yangon’s average Wi-Fi download speed has dropped from around 25 Mbps to under 10 Mbps in October 2025, while mobile data speeds have also declined nationwide.