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.
PTA’s Director General Licensing Aamir Shahzad said the auction would begin at 10 a.m. on Tuesday through an electronic auction system at the PTV headquarters. The process will be broadcast live.
“In the first phase, six spectrum bands will be auctioned among mobile network operators Ufone, Zong and Jazz, followed by bidding for five additional bands until 4 pm,” he said.
PTA Chairman Major General (retired) Hafeez Ur Rehman said a mock trial had already been conducted and all three telecom operators had been briefed on the bidding process.
He added that the auction would not follow an open bidding format, as each spectrum band would be auctioned separately.
IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja said the government was also encouraging wider adoption of 5G-compatible devices in Pakistan.
“Our aim is that as many people as possible use 5G mobile phones,” she said, adding that about 95 percent of mobile phones in Pakistan are locally manufactured, with only devices such as iPhones and Google Pixel phones imported.
According to officials, 5G services will initially be rolled out in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta, before expanding nationwide as infrastructure develops.
Fatima said Pakistan currently uses 274 megahertz of spectrum, which has been in use since 1987, while the upcoming auction will make 600 megahertz of spectrum available.
She said the auction would be conducted through specialized software and streamed live to ensure transparency.
DG Licensing Shahzad said Pakistan currently has one of the lowest spectrum allocations in the region, and the government has prepared a nine-year plan for 5G rollout.
Under the plan, telecom operators will add around 3,000 new network sites each year, with initial 5G speeds expected to reach 50 megabits per second (Mbps).
PTA officials also said Pakistan currently offers some of the world’s cheapest mobile data services and assured that consumer protection would remain a priority.
Officials added that around 500,000 5G-enabled mobile phones have been produced in Pakistan in recent months, while five local manufacturers have already started producing 5G devices.
