ISLAMABAD, Mar 10 (IN): Pakistan on Tuesday formally launched the auction for 5G spectrum, marking the beginning of a new phase in the country’s digital connectivity and technological development.The auction was inaugurated by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, along with the chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).Three telecom companies that qualified for the process are participating in the auction. The PTA has offered around 600 megahertz of spectrum for bidding as part of the government’s plan to introduce 5G services across the country.
According to the Director General Licensing, the first round of Pakistan’s 5G spectrum auction has been completed. In the first phase, 190 MHz of spectrum in the 2600 MHz band was offered for bidding. However, demand exceeded supply, with an additional demand of 110 MHz recorded.Due to the higher demand, the spectrum price has been increased by five percent for the second phase of the auction process.Meanwhile, around 280 MHz spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band was also made available during the first phase, while the demand reached 200 MHz, the DG Licensing added.Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Spectrum Auction for Next Generation Mobile Services (NGMS)/5G, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja described the auction as a historic step that would significantly improve digital connectivity and strengthen Pakistan’s digital economy.She said Pakistan had witnessed several technological transformations in the past, but the current phase of digital transformation was particularly important for the country’s future.
The minister said various institutions worked together to make the spectrum available for the auction, adding that the development would help Pakistan move towards the next generation of technology.She recalled that Pakistan entered the 3G and 4G era between 2014 and 2016 during the government of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Since then, no major spectrum auction had taken place, which contributed to issues related to internet quality and user experience.Shaza Fatima said the new auction would not only introduce 5G services but also improve the quality and capacity of existing 4G networks.She added that fast, reliable and affordable internet had now become a basic need for citizens and digital connectivity plays a key role in several sectors including the economy, agriculture, industry and national security.The minister further said the government had abolished right-of-way charges for telecom infrastructure to accelerate the expansion of fiber networks across the country.She announced that a national fiberisation plan would soon be launched to help telecom companies expand their infrastructure after acquiring spectrum.According to the minister, the auction framework was developed after consultations with several institutions including the Spectrum Advisory Committee, Ministry of Finance, PTA, and the Frequency Allocation Board.She said international telecom organisations appreciated Pakistan’s auction framework, and positive feedback was received during discussions at the Mobile World Congress.The minister added that people would start seeing improvements in 4G services within four to five months after the auction, while 5G services would initially be launched in Islamabad and provincial capitals within five to six months.
She also acknowledged the role of former IT minister Aminul Haq, government institutions and the armed forces in making the spectrum available for commercial use in the national interest.Shaza Fatima said progress in the telecom sector was part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s “Digital Nation Pakistan” vision, aimed at promoting digitisation, providing technology training to youth, increasing IT exports and encouraging a cashless economy.Speaking on the occasion, PTA Chairman Hafeez Ur Rehman said the long-awaited day had finally arrived and thanked all institutions that helped make the spectrum auction possible.He said the biggest challenge had been the availability of spectrum, but the PTA and the Frequency Allocation Board worked closely to resolve the issue.He added that 5G services would bring modern internet facilities to remote areas and described 5G as a “digital highway” and the engine of Pakistan’s future.The PTA chairman also noted that Pakistan had become the first country in Asia to abolish Right of Way charges, reducing them from Rs36,000 per kilometre to zero.He said the government had taken all necessary steps to support the telecom industry, adding that it was now up to telecom operators to actively participate in the spectrum auction process.
