Pakistan’s 5G Spectrum Auction Fully Complete, $510 Million Raised, 5G Pilots to Begin Next Week
The second stage of Pakistan's 5G spectrum auction is now underway at PTA headquarters, with bidding open for band positioning in the 2600 MHz spectrum.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has officially commenced the first round of the 5G spectrum assignment stage, with Chairman PTA and board members formally opening the bidding process at PTA headquarters.
All three telecom operators, Jazz, Zong, and Ufone, are participating in the online bidding process in real time.
The first round is set for a duration of 15 minutes.
Today’s assignment stage focuses on band positioning; operators are bidding for their preferred positions within the spectrum bands secured during the primary auction earlier this week.
Bidding for the 2600 MHz band has opened first. The 3500 MHz band will follow in a subsequent session.
If two operators submit competing bids for the same band position, the bidding will advance to the next round. In that event, the price will increase for the following round.
UPDATE — Round Two Begins
All three operators have shown interest in spectrum position assignment, pushing the process into a second round.
The first round closed with a price of zero. With competing interests confirmed, the auction has advanced to round two, where the starting price has been set at $0.1 million.
Bidding for band positions in the 2600 MHz spectrum continues. The second round is also of 15-minute duration, with all three operators participating in the bidding.
Round 2 concluded. All telcos held their positions, so the process will continue to the next round.
Round 3 Concludes
The bidding process for positioning in the 2600 MHz band has been completed. All three telecom companies have selected their respective positions for the 2600 MHz band. The first round for positioning in the 3500 MHz band will begin at 12:30 PM.
The positioning process for the 2600 MHz spectrum band in Pakistan’s ongoing 5G auction has been completed, with all three participating telecom operators securing their respective frequency blocks. According to the latest update from the auction proceedings, Jazz, CMPak (Zong), and Ufone have finalized their positions within the 2600 MHz band, which will play an important role in supporting future 5G services and high-capacity mobile networks.
2600 MHz Band Positioning (PTA 5G Auction)
| Telecom Operator | Spectrum Position (MHz) |
|---|---|
| Jazz | 2500 – 2570 MHz |
| CMPak (Zong) | 2570 – 2630 MHz |
| Ufone | 2630 – 2690 MHz |
The auction process will now proceed with the 3500 MHz band positioning rounds, and the final results for both bands are expected to be announced together.
Bidding For 3500 MHz Begins
The bidding process for positioning in the 3500 MHz spectrum band has begun as part of the second phase of Pakistan’s 5G spectrum auction.
The round was formally launched by Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima, the IT Secretary, and the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
Addressing the ceremony, Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima stated that the spectrum allocation process had been completed a day earlier, during which 498 MHz of spectrum were successfully purchased by telecom operators.
She added that the positioning round for the 3500 MHz spectrum band has now officially started, marking another key step in the 5G rollout process.
The minister emphasized that 5G will play a crucial role in strengthening Pakistan’s Digital Pakistan vision, noting that technology and internet connectivity have become essential needs in the modern world.
She also highlighted the importance of cyber warfare in modern conflicts, stating that it played a significant role in the recent “Battle for Truth.”
Statement by PTA Chairman
PTA Chairman Major General (Retd.) Hafeez Ur Rehman said that the bidding process for spectrum positioning is taking place today as part of Pakistan’s ongoing 5G spectrum auction.
He stated that transparency in the auction process has been ensured in line with the directives of the Prime Minister.
The chairman confirmed that the bidding process for positioning in the 2600 MHz band has already been completed, while the bidding for positioning in the 3500 MHz band is currently underway.
He added that the results for the positioning of 3500 MHz spectrum bands will be announced soon.
UPDATE — 3500 MHz Bidding Enters Second Round
Bidding for the 3500 MHz band position is now in progress.
The 3500 MHz assignment has moved into the second round, after all three telecom operators, Jazz, Zong, and Ufone, expressed interest during the first round.
3500 MHz Bidding Enters Third Round
The positioning process for the 3500 MHz spectrum band in Pakistan’s ongoing 5G auction is continuing as the bidding has now entered the third round. During the second round, all participating telecom operators maintained their existing positions, resulting in no changes in band placement. Due to continued competitive interest from all three telecom companies, the auction process has moved into Round 3 for the 3500 MHz band positioning, which will determine the final placement of spectrum blocks critical for 5G deployment across the country.
3500 MHz Bidding Enters Fourth Round
The positioning process for the 3500 MHz spectrum band in Pakistan’s ongoing 5G auction is continuing as the bidding has now entered the fourth round. During the second round, all participating telecom operators maintained their existing positions, resulting in no changes in band placement.
5G Spectrum Assignment Stage Complete
Pakistan’s historic 5G spectrum auction process has been completed in full, with the assignment stage for both the 2600 MHz and 3500 MHz bands concluding today at PTA headquarters.
Bidding for the 2600 MHz band position was completed in three rounds, while the 3500 MHz band required five rounds before a final position assignment was reached. Results for both bands will be announced shortly.
$510 Million in Total Revenue
Chairman PTA Major General (Retired) Hafeez ur Rehman confirmed that the combined revenue from both the primary auction and the assignment stage stands at $510 million, equivalent to approximately Rs. 142 billion.
During the primary auction on March 10, a total of 480 MHz of spectrum was sold across multiple bands. Chairman PTA described it as the largest spectrum auction in the world by volume.
Minister Shaza Fatima Addresses the Conclusion
Federal Minister for IT and Telecom Shaza Fatima spoke at the conclusion of the auction, highlighting the significance of the achievement.
She credited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for making difficult decisions that had not been seen before and acknowledged the contributions of PTA, the Frequency Allocation Board, and other institutions in making the auction possible.
She also noted that at the recent Barcelona Mobile World Congress, multiple countries enquired about Pakistan’s 5G progress, a signal of growing international attention toward Pakistan’s telecom trajectory.
Key announcements from the minister:
- Pakistan’s total available spectrum has now crossed 7,500 MHz, with overall network capacity tripling as a result of the auction.
- 5G pilots in major cities will begin from next week.
- Full commercial 5G services in major cities are expected to launch within the coming months.
The Minister also confirmed that Pakistan has successfully landed three new submarine cables and that the Pakistan Armed Forces vacated their spectrum to enable the auction, for which she extended her gratitude.
Chairman PTA Major General (Retired) Hafeez ur Rehman offered a direct assurance to Pakistani consumers as the auction concluded. He stated that mobile package prices have risen by only 10 to 15 percent over the past three years and that PTA will not allow prices to increase for 5G services.
On the question of performance, he confirmed that internet speeds are expected to rise from the current 4 Mbps to 20 Mbps following the 5G rollout, a fivefold improvement that will significantly transform the everyday internet experience for users across the country.
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