The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has officially confirmed that the highly anticipated 5G spectrum auction will take place on March 10, 2026. During a media briefing on Wednesday, the regulator emphasised that the schedule remains firm, marking a definitive step toward bringing next-generation mobile technology to the country.
The auction will utilise a multi-round electronic clock format. PTA is offering a total of 597 megahertz (MHz) across several frequency bands. First Round Focus: The 2,600 MHz and 3,500 MHz bands will be the primary focus of the initial bidding stage.
The three existing telecom operators in Pakistan are required to purchase a minimum of 100 MHz each to ensure competitive service levels.
The government expects the sale to generate between $300 million and $700 million, depending on the intensity of the bidding process. Following the auction, the commercial rollout is expected to take three to six months as operators install necessary physical infrastructure.
Services will first launch in federal and provincial capitals Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and Quette. Operators are mandated to deploy 1,000 new sites annually, with a specific focus on addressing current coverage gaps.
PTA Chairman Major General (Retd) Hafeezur Rehman noted that while Pakistan added 50 million users in the last five years, spectrum availability had not kept pace. This auction aims to rectify that by significantly boosting the Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and overall data quality.
“We expect mobile broadband speeds to improve by approximately 25% immediately following the auction,” stated the PTA Chairman.
To encourage rapid “fiberization” and network expansion, the government has introduced several key concessions:
The annual fee of Rs36,000 per km for laying fiber optic cables has been eliminated. Operators are granted a one-year grace period for capital investment before upfront spectrum payments are due.
Local production of 5G-enabled smartphones has already begun, with over 500,000 units already manufactured in Pakistan to ensure device affordability.
Interested parties must submit their applications along with a $15 million bank guarantee by February 27. Qualified bidders will then participate in “mock auctions” to familiarize themselves with the electronic system before the live event on March 10.
