ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Tuesday formally kicked off the long-awaited 5G spectrum auction, marking a major step towards the launch of next-generation mobile services and faster digital connectivity in the country.
The auction process is being conducted by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), with the first round of bidding scheduled to last 60 minutes.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar jointly inaugurated the auction alongside PTA Chairman Major General (retd) Hafeez Ur Rehman.
Officials said the first round of bidding will last 60 minutes, with three telecom operators, including Jazz, Zong and Ufone, participating in the auction.
The auction includes spectrum in multiple frequency bands aimed at expanding mobile broadband capacity and enabling 5G services. Key bands under consideration include 700 MHz for wider rural coverage, 2.6 GHz to strengthen 4G services, and 3.5 GHz identified as the primary band for 5G deployment.
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Officials said the auction is a critical step towards improving service quality, addressing spectrum scarcity and accelerating Pakistan’s digital transformation. The initiative has been facilitated through coordination among institutions, including the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and the Frequency Allocation Board (FAB).
Speaking at the ceremony, PTA Chairman Hafeez Ur Rehman said the long-awaited day had finally arrived. He thanked institutions, including the Frequency Allocation Board and other stakeholders, for making additional spectrum available, noting that spectrum scarcity had long been the biggest challenge for Pakistan’s telecom sector.
He termed digital connectivity the “digital highway and the engine of Pakistan’s economy,” adding that the country was entering a new technological era with the launch of the auction.
The PTA chief also highlighted a major policy step, saying Pakistan had become the first country in Asia to abolish Right-of-Way (RoW) charges, which were lowered from Rs36,000 per kilometre to nil, to facilitate telecom infrastructure expansion and fibre deployment.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said the government had created a complete ecosystem for the 5G auction, adding that the technology would enable multiple use cases and support emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence and blockchain.
He said improved connectivity would boost IT exports and digital services, noting that the prime minister was actively pushing the country’s digital economy agenda.
Meanwhile, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja described the day as an important milestone in Pakistan’s technological history, saying the country could not afford to miss the global technological revolution.
She recalled that Pakistan entered the 3G and 4G era in 2013–14, adding that the new auction would not only introduce 5G services but also significantly improve 4G quality.
Fatima shared that Pakistan was operating on 274 MHz of spectrum, while the current process represents the largest spectrum auction in the country’s history.
She said consumers would begin seeing improvements in 4G services within 4-5 months, while 5G services are expected to be launched in major cities within six months.
During the ceremony, Director General Licensing at PTA Aamir Shahzad briefed participants that the government had formed an advisory committee for the 5G auction and hired an international consultant. Following the consultant’s report, the government issued policy directives, and PTA released the Information Memorandum for the auction.
He said 600 MHz of spectrum across six bands had been offered in the auction, which will be conducted in two stages with up to five rounds of bidding.
Officials added that all three telecom operators submitted bids to participate, marking the formal start of Pakistan’s long-awaited transition towards 5G connectivity.
The rollout of 5G is expected to significantly enhance data speeds, support emerging technologies and enable digital services across sectors, including industry, healthcare, education and e-commerce.
Authorities say the successful completion of the auction will pave the way for telecom operators to deploy 5G infrastructure, opening a new chapter in Pakistan’s telecom and digital economy landscape.
This is a developing story
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