Bidding is being conducted online, while the inaugural ceremony took place at a local hotel in Islamabad
A woman looks at her mobile phone next to a 5G sign. Photo: Reuters
ISLAMABAD:
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has inaugurated the spectrum auction for Next Generation Mobile Services (NGMS) / 5G in Pakistan on Tuesday, marking a milestone in the country’s digital development.
The inaugural ceremony was attended by senators, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister for IT and Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT and Telecom Syed Aminul Haque, members of the National Assembly, government officials and stakeholders from the telecom industry.
The first round of the 5G spectrum auction will run for 60 minutes. Three eligible telecom companies are participating in the bidding process.
The PTA has offered 600 megahertz of spectrum for auction. The bidding is being conducted online, while the inaugural ceremony took place at a local hotel in Islamabad.
Speaking at the ceremony, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb highlighted the economic significance of 5G for Pakistan’s future and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to policies aimed at strengthening the telecommunications ecosystem and enabling the country to compete in the global digital economy.
IT and Telecom Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja said the government had designed the 5G policy to enable sustainable growth in the sector. She said the objective was not to maximise upfront auction revenues but to allow operators to invest in network expansion and infrastructure so that improved and high-quality digital services could be delivered to consumers across Pakistan.
She said Pakistan entered the 3G and 4G era during the government of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif between 2014 and 2016. Since then, no major spectrum auction has been held, which has caused problems with internet quality and user experience.
Read: 5G spectrum auction today
Shaza Fatima said the auction would not only introduce 5G services but also improve the quality and capacity of existing 4G networks.
She said fast, reliable and affordable internet had become a basic need for citizens, adding that digital connectivity now played an important role in sectors such as the economy, agriculture, industry and national security.
She added that people would start seeing improvement in 4G services within four to five months after the auction, while 5G services would first be launched in Islamabad and provincial capitals within five to six months.
PTA Chairman Major General (retd) Hafeezur Rehman said the authority remained committed to enabling next-generation technologies through a transparent and competitive auction process aimed at improving digital services for consumers.
He said the PTA and the Frequency Allocation Board worked closely to ensure the spectrum was made available, adding that 5G services would bring modern internet facilities to remote areas.
He added that the PTA had introduced consumer-focused regulatory measures, including bringing Right of Way (RoW) charges to zero, to facilitate faster network rollout and reduce barriers for telecom operators.
“This is a digital highway; this is the engine of Pakistan,” he said, calling it a historic day for the country and the beginning of a new era.
The NGMS / 5G spectrum auction represents a step towards positioning Pakistan at the forefront of technological advancement. The PTA said it remained committed to promoting innovation, expanding digital inclusion and supporting sustainable growth in the country’s telecommunications sector.
The PTA chairman added that the government had taken all necessary steps to support the telecom industry and it was now the responsibility of telecom operators to actively participate in the spectrum auction.
During a background briefing on Monday, Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima said that efforts had been made to ensure that all three stakeholders could benefit from the spectrum auction.
As most of the demands of telecom companies have been accepted, they will benefit from a reduction in the financial burden. On the other hand, the government will get some money via the spectrum sale and consumers will enjoy fast and reliable internet across the country.
