The government has assigned an advisory committee the task of reviewing and approving the IMT/ 5G policy guidelines for timely auction of available spectrum in the country.
The committee will review a market assessment report and approve the way forward based on recommendations of a consultant hired by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for the design/ relevant aspects of an investment-friendly IMT/ 5G spectrum to maximise its utilisation in line with the Digital Pakistan vision.
The committee has also been assigned the task to examine and approve policy directives of the federal government for reforms in the telecom sector and the release of 5G spectrum.
It was proposed in a recent meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) that an advisory committee may be constituted to pave the way for the release of unsold spectrum.
The ECC approved the setting up of the advisory committee. Federal minister of finance will chair the committee, which will comprise federal minister of IT and telecommunication, federal minister of industries and production, federal minister of law and justice, Finance Division secretary, IT and Telecom Division secretary, Law and Justice Division secretary, PTA chairman, Frequency Allocation Board executive director and director general (tech).
Representatives of the Ministry of Defence will also be included in the advisory panel.
According to the terms of reference, the committee will assess the availability of spectrum in 700 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2,100 MHz and 2,600 MHz bands.
It will consider and approve telecom reforms to attract investment and increase mobile broadband proliferation with the input of different stakeholders.
An IT ministry official told the ECC that better mobile broadband connectivity was critical for increasing investment, IT exports, and generating new business and employment opportunities.
Efficient utilisation of frequency spectrum for mobile broadband services was not only fundamental to enable quality mobile broadband connectivity but was correlated with the increase in gross domestic product (GDP), foreign direct investment, exports and employment opportunities, the official stressed.
Optimum utilisation of the available frequency spectrum was critical for the expansion of telecom networks, improvement in teledensity and the quality of mobile broadband services, including facilitating the readiness for 5G technology.
It was stated that the current use of IMT frequency spectrum for commercial cellular services in the country in 700 MHz, 2,300 MHz, 2,600 MHz and 3,500 MHz bands was significantly low vis-a-vis global practices.
Spectrum auctions for Next Generation Mobile Services (NGMS) in Pakistan were held in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2021 under the policy directives issued by the federal government.
Consequently, paired spectrum in 1,900/ 2,100 MHz, 1,800 MHz and 850 MHz bands was auctioned and assigned to the cellular mobile operators.
The ECC considered the summary submitted by the IT ministry, titled “Release of IMT spectrum for improvement of Next Generation Mobile Broadband Services in Pakistan”, and approved the proposal.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 10th, 2023.
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