The timeline for Pakistan’s 5G spectrum auction has been delayed as the federal government has not yet issued the required policy directive, despite approval from the federal cabinet two weeks ago.
The delay has halted further progress, with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) awaiting formal instructions to proceed.
Sources told ProPakistani that the authority cannot begin the auction process until it receives the government’s policy directive. Once issued, the PTA will publish the Information Memorandum, which will explain the auction mechanism, rules, and the regulatory framework for the 5G spectrum auction.
Sources said the federal government had initially planned to hold the 5G spectrum auction by mid-February. However, due to the delay in issuing the policy directive, the auction is now expected to be pushed to the end of February. The Information Memorandum will also include details on the spectrum bands being offered, bidding procedures, and compliance requirements for participating mobile operators.
At present, Pakistan has 274 megahertz of available spectrum. According to PTA sources, a total of 600 megahertz of spectrum is planned to be offered in the upcoming auction across six different frequency bands. It is also estimated that an additional 300 megahertz may be added to the existing spectrum pool.
Following the auction, mobile operators are expected to activate new frequency bands on their base transceiver station (BTS) towers. Smartphone manufacturers are also likely to update devices to support the newly available spectrum.
Sources further said that the PTA’s consultant has recommended keeping spectrum prices lower to encourage wider participation and enable faster rollout. According to officials in the Ministry of IT, the government aims to launch 5G services in major cities within six to seven months after the auction, with initial deployment focused on large urban centers.
