- Three telecom operators, including Jazz, Zong and Ufone, participated in the auction
The federal government on Tuesday raised $507 million in the much-awaited 5G spectrum auction, selling 480 MHz of spectrum against a target of 597 MHz, as three telecom operators—Jazz, Zong and Ufone—secured frequencies to roll out next-generation mobile services and faster digital connectivity in the country.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar jointly inaugurated the auction alongside Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Major General (retd) Hafeez Ur Rehman.
The auction was concluded after three rounds, with the results announced by Hafeez Ur Rehman, who was flanked by IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar.
According to the PTA, the auction saw the sale of two lots in the 700 MHz band, all five lots in the 2300 MHz band, all 19 lots in the 2600 MHz band, and 22 out of 28 lots in the 3500 MHz band, taking the total spectrum sold to 480 MHz.
In mobile spectrum, lots refer to specific, divisible blocks of radio frequency spectrum that regulators, i.e. PTA, divide and auction off to mobile network operators for providing 3G, 4G, or 5G services.
In terms of allocation, Jazz emerged as the largest buyer, securing 190 MHz of spectrum, including 50 MHz in the 3500 MHz band, 70 MHz in the 2600 MHz, 50 MHz in the 2300 MHz and 20 MHz in the 700 MHz.
Ufone acquired 180 MHz, including 120 MHz in the 3500 MHz band and 60 MHz in the 2600 MHz band, while Zong secured 110 MHz in the auction, including 50 MHz in the 3500 MHz band and 60 MHz in the 2600 MHz band.
Speaking on the occasion, IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja said the government had made around 600 MHz spectrum available for the auction, which was conducted live in line with the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to ensure transparency.
She said Pakistan had reached a “choking point” in terms of spectrum availability, and the additional spectrum would significantly improve internet quality across the country.
Earlier, officials said the auction was a critical step towards improving service quality, addressing spectrum scarcity and accelerating Pakistan’s digital transformation. The initiative has been facilitated through coordination among institutions, including the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and the Frequency Allocation Board (FAB).
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Speaking at the ceremony, PTA Chairman Hafeez Ur Rehman said the long-awaited day had finally arrived. He thanked institutions, including the Frequency Allocation Board and other stakeholders, for making additional spectrum available, noting that spectrum scarcity had long been the biggest challenge for Pakistan’s telecom sector.
He termed digital connectivity the “digital highway and the engine of Pakistan’s economy,” adding that the country was entering a new technological era with the launch of the auction.
The PTA chief also highlighted a major policy step, saying Pakistan had become the first country in Asia to abolish Right-of-Way (RoW) charges, reduced from Rs36,000 per kilometre to nil, to facilitate telecom infrastructure expansion and fibre deployment.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said the government had created a complete ecosystem for the 5G auction, adding that the technology would enable multiple use cases and support emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence and blockchain.
He said improved connectivity would boost IT exports and digital services, noting that the prime minister was actively pushing the country’s digital economy agenda.
Meanwhile, Shaza Fatima described the day as an important milestone in Pakistan’s technological history, saying the country could not afford to miss the global technological revolution.
She recalled that Pakistan entered the 3G and 4G era in 2013–14, adding that the new auction would not only introduce 5G services but also significantly improve 4G quality.
She said consumers would begin seeing improvements in 4G services within 4-5 months, while 5G services are expected to be launched in major cities within six months.
During the ceremony, Director General Licensing at PTA Aamir Shahzad briefed participants that the government had formed an advisory committee for the 5G auction and hired an international consultant. Following the consultant’s report, the government issued policy directives, and PTA released the Information Memorandum for the auction.
The rollout of 5G is expected to significantly enhance data speeds, support emerging technologies and enable digital services across sectors, including industry, healthcare, education and e-commerce.
Authorities say the successful completion of the auction will pave the way for telecom operators to deploy 5G infrastructure, opening a new chapter in Pakistan’s telecom and digital economy landscape.
Reference Link:- https://www.brecorder.com/news/40410926