ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to formally launch the process for auctioning spectrum for next-generation mobile services, or 5G, at a ceremony in Islamabad today, Tuesday, the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications said.

The auction marks a key step toward introducing fifth-generation mobile technology in Pakistan, where more than 190 million people use mobile phones but most networks currently operate on fourth-generation (4G) infrastructure.

“Federal Minister for Finance Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb and Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja will address the inauguration ceremony of the Next Generation Mobile Services (NGMS)/5G spectrum auction and formally launch the auction,” the IT ministry said in a media alert.

Officials say the rollout of 5G could significantly improve Internet speeds and support the growth of Pakistan’s digital economy, including sectors such as e-commerce, fintech, cloud computing and artificial intelligence.

Pakistan, a country of more than 240 million people, is one of the world’s largest telecom markets by population. However, the rollout of 5G has faced delays in recent years due to regulatory, economic and spectrum-allocation challenges.

The government has previously said the spectrum auction will determine which telecom operators will acquire the frequencies needed to deploy 5G infrastructure across the country.

Further details on the auction framework and timeline are expected to be shared during the ceremony, which will be broadcast live on state television.