ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday launched the auction of spectrum for next-generation mobile services (NGMS), or 5G, marking a key step toward introducing faster mobile broadband and expanding the country’s digital economy.
The auction, conducted by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), is expected to determine which telecom operators will acquire the frequencies needed to deploy fifth-generation mobile networks across the country.
Pakistan, a country of more than 240 million people, is one of the world’s largest telecom markets by population, with over 190 million mobile phone users. However, most networks currently operate on fourth-generation (4G) infrastructure, and the rollout of 5G has faced delays in recent years due to regulatory, economic and spectrum-allocation challenges.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb described the auction as a major milestone in Pakistan’s digital development.
“The NGMS/5G Spectrum Auction is a historic milestone that will accelerate Pakistan’s digital transformation and strengthen the country’s digital economy,” Aurangzeb said while addressing participants at the auction ceremony.
He said the framework for the auction had been developed after extensive deliberations over the past year and a half by a spectrum committee he chaired, aimed at balancing government revenue goals with the need to create an enabling environment for digital growth.
Aurangzeb said improved connectivity would help unlock economic opportunities across multiple sectors, particularly in information technology and IT-enabled services, which are among Pakistan’s fastest-growing export industries.
He added that stronger digital infrastructure would support initiatives such as freelance work, digital payments and the government’s broader Digital Pakistan agenda.
Officials say the rollout of 5G could significantly improve Internet speeds and support sectors such as e-commerce, fintech, cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja said the auction marked a major expansion in Pakistan’s limited spectrum capacity and could significantly improve mobile connectivity.
“Since telecommunication, technology, and then the Internet came to Pakistan, since 1987 until now, Pakistan has been running on the total availability of 274 MHz,” Khawaja said while speaking at the auction ceremony.
“This is Pakistan’s largest spectrum auction and if we can only successfully do the base auction in this, even then our spectrum availability will double.”
She said consumers could begin seeing improvements in mobile services within months.
“In four months, god willing, in five months, the quality of your 4G services will be significantly better and our effort is that in five to six months, 5G will be available in your KLIs [Key Launch Cities] and five major cities.”
PTA’s Director General Licensing Aamir Shahzad earlier said the auction process would take place through an electronic bidding system, with six spectrum bands initially offered to the country’s three mobile network operators, Ufone, Zong and Jazz, followed by bidding for five additional bands.
The auction does not follow an open bidding format, with each spectrum band being auctioned separately.
According to officials, 5G services are expected to be rolled out first in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta before expanding nationwide as network infrastructure develops.
Officials say Pakistan currently uses around 274 megahertz of spectrum, much of it allocated decades ago, while the new auction will make 600 megahertz of spectrum available for next-generation services.
Under the government’s rollout plan, telecom operators are expected to add roughly 3,000 new network sites annually to support the expansion of 5G services.
PTA officials say Pakistan currently offers some of the world’s cheapest mobile data services and have pledged that consumer protection will remain a priority as the country moves toward next-generation connectivity.
