The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is set to hold the long-awaited 5G spectrum auction on March 10, 2026, unveiling an extensive policy package, phased rollout roadmap, and quality-of-service (QoS) benchmarks aimed at accelerating digital transformation and strengthening the country’s telecom infrastructure.

Briefing the media, PTA Chairman Hafeez ur Rehman said improved connectivity was critical for achieving Digital Pakistan and cashless economy objectives, adding that regulatory and policy reforms had been aligned to facilitate next-generation services.

Director General Licensing Aamir Shahzad said the auction would be conducted through a multi-round electronic clock auction format, with the main allocation stage commencing on March 10.

Around 597 MHz of spectrum will be made available, including mandatory bidding in the 2600 MHz and 3500 MHz bands during the first round.

Under the approved framework, the US dollar-to-PKR exchange rate will be fixed on the auction date for payment purposes. Operators will be offered a one-year moratorium and the option to pay either 100% upfront or 50% upfront with the remaining amount in five equal annual instalments at KIBOR plus three per cent.

The policy is technology-neutral and forms part of broader telecom sector reforms. Measures include enabling 5G smartphone upgrades through tax rationalisation, promoting local manufacturing to improve affordability, and allowing duty-free import of 5G equipment to accelerate network deployment.

DG said a joint task force comprising the Ministry of IT and Telecom, Power Division, NEPRA, PTA, telecom operators, and DISCOs would be constituted to examine industrial power tariffs for the telecom sector, smart grid solutions and dedicated feeders to mitigate prolonged power outages affecting network performance.

Right-of-way charges for fibre deployment had been reduced from Rs36000 to zero to fast-track tower fibreisation, he added.

DG said after getting the license, 5G was expected to be launched in 3-6 months –the target for commercial launch, starting with federal and provincial capitals, followed by phased expansion over nine years.

Each operator will be required to deploy 1,000 new sites annually, including at least 200 sites per year to address coverage gaps. Over successive phases, 5G coverage will expand to additional cities across provinces, while fibre-to-the-site (FTTS) ratios will gradually increase from 20% to 35% by 2035.

The regulator has also mandated proportionate expansion and enhancement of 4G networks in urban and rural areas to ensure service continuity and improved nationwide broadband experience.

The framework sets phased QoS enhancement targets for both 4G and 5G services through 2035. For 4G, minimum download speeds will rise from 20 Mbps in 2026-27 to 50 Mbps by 2030-35, while latency targets will be tightened from 75 milliseconds to 50 milliseconds. Web page loading times are to improve from five seconds to three seconds.

For 5G, minimum download speeds will increase from 50 Mbps initially to 100 Mbps by 2030-35, with latency targets reduced to 35 milliseconds in the final phase. Upload speeds are benchmarked at 20% of download speeds across both technologies. New key performance indicators will also be introduced, including network downtime monitoring at district, tehsil and union council levels. PTA expects mobile broadband speeds to improve by around 25% following the auction.

PTA officials said that applications, along with a $15 million bank guarantee, must be submitted by February 27. Qualified bidders will participate in mock auctions before the main allocation stage. If demand in any spectrum category exceeds supply, prices will increase in successive rounds. The auction will conclude after the assignment stage, with provisional winners required to submit performance bank guarantees within 15 business days before licences are granted.

PTA Chairman said at least three operators are expected to participate and termed the auction successful if more than 50% of the offered spectrum is sold. The PTA chairman noted that telecom operators have already placed orders for 5G equipment, while local manufacturing of 5G-enabled smartphones has commenced, with 500,000 to 600,000 units produced so far.

Describing the auction as delayed but necessary, he said the initiative would lay the foundation for next-generation connectivity and prepare the ecosystem for future technologies, including 6G, while supporting sustainable digital economic growth.