ISLAMABAD: The chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Maj Gen (retd) Hafeez ur Rehman, met Starlink officials in Spain this week as the international telecommunications provider seeks approvals to launch operations in Pakistan.
US businessman Elon Musk, who owns Starlink, has said the company is awaiting government approval to launch services in Pakistan. Starlink has completed registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), according to Musk. The PTA, however, has said Starlink is yet to obtain security clearance, a prerequisite for obtaining a license and launching services in Pakistan.
Starlink users access the Internet for data or voice communication by using a small dish antenna to bounce signals off a constellation of satellites overhead.
“The discussion focused on improving affordable broadband access, particularly in underserved areas, to bridge the digital divide and accelerate digital transformation,” the PTA said in a statement after the meeting between the authority’s chairman and Starlink officials on the sidelines of the GSMA Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona.
The PTA chairman confirmed that Starlink’s registration was in process with the national satellite regulatory body, a legal prerequisite for getting a PTA license for satellite-based Internet services.
“The Starlink team shared insights on satellite-based Internet solutions in competitive World of Cellular Mobile services and its potential impact on remote regions. Both sides discussed regulatory frameworks and operational strategies for seamless service integration,” the statement added.
Pakistan’s telecom sector has evolved significantly over the past two decades, but still faces challenges in terms of infrastructure development, especially in rural and remote areas, gaps that the possible entry of Starlink could address, its proponents say.
Pakistan, with a population of over 240 million, has experienced a 40 percent drop in Internet speeds in recent months, due to what is widely believed to be the government’s implementation of a nationwide firewall that it says is aimed at blocking malicious content and protecting networks.
The South Asian nation incurred $1.62 billion in losses due to Internet outages and social media shutdowns in 2024, surpassing losses in war-torn Sudan and Myanmar, according to a Top10VPN.com report. Rights activists say the disruptions are part of a state-led digital crackdown aimed at censoring critical voices. The government denies this.
Telecom authority chief meets Starlink team amid push to launch Pakistan operations
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Telecom authority chief meets Starlink team amid push to launch Pakistan operations
- Starlink owner Elon Musk has said company is awaiting government approval to launch services in Pakistan
- PTA says Starlink is yet to obtain security clearance, a prerequisite for obtaining a license and launching services
Pakistan to auction 600 MHz spectrum next month to boost Internet speeds
- Pakistan has more than 130 million broadband connections, but access remains uneven despite increasing IT exports
- Pakistani Internet users currently operate on about 274 MHz of spectrum, compared to around 600 MHz in Bangladesh
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to auction a 600-megahertz (MHz) spectrum next month to ensure high speed and reliable Internet services across the country, state media reported on Monday, citing Information Technology (IT) Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
The development comes at a time of mounting pressure on Pakistan’s telecom networks, with users and businesses complaining of slow Internet speeds and frequent disruptions as a limited spectrum struggles to serve the South Asian country.
Pakistan has more than 130 million broadband connections but access remains uneven, though its IT exports reached a record $3.8 billion in FY 2024–25, up from $3.2 billion the previous year, marking an 18 percent year-on-year increase, according to the Pakistan Software Export Board.
Speaking at an event in Islamabad, the IT minister said the federal cabinet has ratified the decision of spectrum auction, the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“This will not only improve 4G speed but also help roll out 5G services,” Khawaja was quoted as saying.
Khawaja last month said the quality of Internet service in Pakistan is not at par with international best practices or even regional standards, and one of the fundamental reasons for this was the non-availability of the spectrum.
Pakistani Internet users currently operate on about 274 MHz of spectrum, compared with around 600 MHz in Bangladesh, that leads to congestion, she told a news conference on Dec. 23, likening the situation to “trying to run eight lanes of traffic through two lanes.”
Speaking at Monday’s event, Khawaja reaffirmed the government’s commitment to investing in capacity-building of the youth.
“Youth are the country’s greatest asset,” she said, highlighting that over half a million young Pakistanis had been trained in various fields over the past 18 months.
