Pakistan to Introduce Spectrum Sharing Policy to Improve Connectivity in Remote Areas

Pakistan’s spectrum sharing policy is in the works, and it could significantly improve mobile coverage in the country’s remote and underserved areas.

Government Moves on Spectrum Sharing

The Ministry of IT has decided to formulate a formal spectrum sharing policy and has already forwarded it to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority for a review of new spectrum bands, according to ministry sources.

Under the proposed policy, all telecom operators will be able to share spectrum with each other, particularly in remote areas where network coverage remains weak or unavailable. Most significantly, multiple networks will be able to provide service from a single tower in these areas, reducing infrastructure costs while expanding coverage.

The primary goal of the policy, according to ministry sources, is to improve network service quality and provide better, wider coverage to telecom users across Pakistan.

5G Auction Drives Policy Review

The push for a revised spectrum sharing framework comes directly after Pakistan’s 5G spectrum auction, which dramatically expanded the country’s total available spectrum from 274 MHz to 750 MHz.

With total spectrum nearly tripling, the existing policy framework needed to be revisited. The ministry is now conducting a fresh review specifically to account for the new spectrum bands introduced through the auction. Formal implementation of the spectrum sharing policy will begin once the PTA completes its review of these new bands.

What to Expect

Ministry sources have indicated that spectrum sharing is expected to bring noticeable improvement in both coverage and connectivity across Pakistan.

The spectrum sharing policy is the kind of unglamorous infrastructure decision that rarely makes headlines but has an outsized impact on real lives. Getting a mobile signal in Balochistan, or being able to complete an online class in a remote KPK village, depends on exactly this kind of policy getting done right. The ministry deserves credit for moving quickly after the 5G auction. The question now is whether the PTA review produces a framework with enough teeth to compel genuine operator cooperation or one that sits on paper while the connectivity gap persists.