5G spectrum auction to be 'Pakistan's largest'
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has approved the recommendations of the Spectrum Advisory Committee for the upcoming spectrum auction, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja said on Tuesday.
State broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported that, at a joint press conference, Aurangzeb said the approved recommendations would now be forwarded to the federal cabinet for final approval, adding that the government was accelerating the Digital Pakistan programme.
Read: 'Choose growth in 5G spectrum auction'
Economic Coordination Committee has approved recommendations of Spectrum Advisory Committee regarding Spectrum Auction@ShazaFK @MoitOfficial @Financegovpk #News #BreakingNews #Internet #RadioPakistan https://t.co/V1rzqf2Fkm pic.twitter.com/Q7KxCKuL5j
Khawaja said the government was preparing to auction 600 MHz of spectrum, describing it as the "largest spectrum auction" in Pakistan’s history. She said the auction process was expected to be completed by the end of January or early February, with the overall timeline for launching 5G services spanning the next four to six months.
The IT minister noted that Pakistan’s population of around 240 million currently operates on just 274 MHz spectrum, which has led to congestion and widespread internet connectivity issues. She said the introduction of additional spectrum was essential to improve the quality of 3G and 4G services and to pave the way for the rollout of 5G technology.
She added that consultations with the telecom sector and other stakeholders would be ensured as part of the auction process.
Khawaja further said that under the Connect 2030 plan, to be launched soon by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, users would be provided minimum internet speeds of 100 Mbps over the next five years.
Read More: Govt accelerates spectrum auction
Pakistan’s utilisation of International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) spectrum for commercial cellular services remains significantly lower than global benchmarks, stressing that optimal use of available frequency bands was critical for expanding mobile broadband, improving service quality and advancing the country’s 5G roadmap. They said previous spectrum auctions were held between 2014 and 2021, and that future releases would be conducted under the oversight of a high-level advisory committee constituted by the federal cabinet.
The government has emphasised full transparency and stakeholder consultation ahead of the spectrum auction, with officials meeting cellular operators and industry representatives to seek suggestions. They said the auction framework would be designed to maximise public benefit, encourage investment in network rollout, and ensure financial viability of the mobile broadband market, while maintaining a level playing field for all participants.