Pakistan’s Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, has announced a significant initiative to enhance the country’s telecommunications infrastructure through an upcoming spectrum auction, slated for the coming months. This auction is part of a broader government effort to meet the growing demand for mobile broadband services, improve data speeds, and support the rollout of Next Generation Mobile Broadband (NGMB) services, including 4G and 5G.
During a National Assembly session, Khawaja emphasized the government’s commitment to expanding mobile broadband access. The government has released an additional 567 MHz of spectrum across multiple frequency bands—700 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2600 MHz, and 3500 MHz—representing more than 200% of the current spectrum available. This allocation will provide a significant boost to Pakistan’s telecom sector.
The Frequency Allocation Board (FAB) has been tasked with making this spectrum available, and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has enlisted NERA, an internationally renowned consultancy firm, to assist in the auction process. NERA’s responsibilities include providing strategic recommendations on policy reforms, ensuring competition, and maintaining efficient spectrum utilization. The consultancy will also evaluate global trends in spectrum pricing to stimulate economic growth and attract foreign investment.
The auction is designed to be investment-friendly, aimed at accelerating broadband penetration, boosting ICT infrastructure, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the telecom sector. PTA’s collaboration with NERA will also focus on crafting a strategy to maximize spectrum release, enabling mobile operators to support 4G and 5G services across the country.
Khawaja highlighted that the auction would provide mobile operators with the necessary resources to meet the rising demand for mobile data services. “Our goal is to ensure the widespread availability of 4G and 5G services, transforming the telecommunications landscape and driving economic growth,” she said.
The auction will include Network Rollout Obligations, requiring winners to meet specific criteria for service delivery. These will include targeted rollout schedules based on provincial population distribution and international best practices. Additionally, the process will ensure spectrum affordability for mobile operators, enabling improved service delivery and encouraging foreign investment.
With mobile subscriptions in Pakistan reaching 193.4 million and users consuming an average of 8.5 GB of data per month, the need for expanded network capacity is critical. Despite challenges such as pending spectrum litigation and delays in the PTCL (Ufone) Telenor merger, Khawaja reassured the public that all relevant government offices are working diligently to resolve these issues ahead of the auction.