The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has officially announced that Pakistan’s long-awaited 5G spectrum auction will be held on March 10, setting the stage for the commercial rollout of next-generation internet services by mid-2026.

PTA Chairman Maj Gen (retd) Hafeezur Rehman unveiled the timeline during a press conference, saying the country is ready to enter the 5G era in phases.

The PTA chief confirmed that three telecom operators will participate in the 5G spectrum auction. He stated that telecom operators will take up at least 100 MHz spectrum, and if more than 50% of the total spectrum is sold, the auction will be considered successful.

The dollar rate will be frozen on the day of the auction, and payments will be made at the same rate — a move taken on the demand of telecom operators. The chairman also clarified that no auction in dollars has been held anywhere except Bangladesh.

Commercial launch targeted for mid-2026

The PTA has set mid-2026 as the target for the commercial launch of 5G services.

The rollout will be phased, beginning in Islamabad and provincial capitals, before expanding nationwide. Officials emphasized that 5G services will not come to the entire country at once.

The chairman assured that no company will delay the launch of 5G services, adding that telecom companies have already placed pre-orders for 5G equipment.

Director General (Licensing) Aamir Shahzad revealed that the government has provided 597 MHz spectrum for the auction.

Companies can submit applications until February 27, along with a mandatory $15 million bank guarantee. The auction will be conducted electronically through a clock auction format with multiple rounds, allowing companies to participate online from their offices.

Operators will be required to purchase 2600 MHz and 3500 MHz spectrum in the first round. A cap has been placed to ensure that no single operator can buy the entire spectrum within a band.

Network rollout and service obligations

Under the 5G rollout plan, each operator will install 1,000 cell towers annually as part of a nine-year phased program.

Out of these, 200 towers each year will specifically address network coverage gaps. Tower fiberization has been declared mandatory, and operators must increase fiberization annually.

A 5G coverage map has also been made mandatory for all operators. Service will expand in both urban and rural areas, though rural connectivity remains affected due to load shedding.

Expected speed improvements

DG Shahzad stated that Pakistan currently ranks among the lowest in the region in terms of spectrum availability, which remains a significant challenge.

He noted that the arrival of new spectrum will significantly improve service quality. The launch download speed of 5G will be 50 Mbps, compared to the 4G benchmark of 20 Mbps for the first two years.

Mobile internet speeds are expected to increase by 25% after the 5G auction, and officials anticipate visible improvements in service quality within three to six months of the auction.

Boost to Digital Pakistan

Hafeezur Rehman stressed that better connectivity is essential for achieving the goals of Digital Pakistan and a cashless economy.

“Everyone wants better internet,” he said, adding that the government and PTA are taking practical steps to address persistent issues related to mobile service quality and internet speed.

He also pointed out that PTA does not receive any tax revenue from mobile phones.

To encourage network investment, telecom operators have been given the facility of not making any payment in the first year. This relaxation is aimed at accelerating infrastructure deployment.

According to the PTA chairman, between 500,000 to 600,000 5G mobile phones have already been manufactured. 5G-enabled devices are available in the market starting from Rs 40,000, and companies are beginning to offer installment plans.

He expressed hope that 5G mobile phones will become widely available as soon as the service launches.

Work on 6G to begin after 5G launch

Looking ahead, the PTA chairman announced that work on 6G technology will begin immediately after stabilizing 5G services.

“We will first stabilize 5G and then move on to 6G. We will try not to take too long,” he said, adding that efforts will be made to ensure that the 6G auction in Pakistan is not delayed.

The DG licensing noted that 101 countries worldwide have already launched 5G services.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for spectrum has increased significantly. With 97% of Pakistan’s mobile towers currently operating on 4G, officials believe the shift to 5G will mark a major technological leap.