The Advisory Committee for the IMT/5G spectrum auction is set to convene tomorrow under the leadership of Caretaker Finance Minister, Dr. Shamshad Akhtar. The meeting will feature prominent figures, including Caretaker Federal Minister for IT & Science and Technology, Dr. Umar Saif, Caretaker Minister for Law Ahmed Irfan Islam, and Caretaker Minister for Industries & Production Gohar Ejaz. Federal Secretaries from relevant ministries, along with representatives from Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Frequency Allocation Board, and Federal Board of Revenue, will also attend.
The committee meeting follows the recent approval by the caretaker federal cabinet of the terms of reference (TORs) and the establishment of the Advisory Committee for the IMT/5G spectrum auction. This development is a significant move toward endorsing telecom reforms aimed at boosting investment and expanding mobile broadband access across Pakistan.
The TORs outline the committee’s focus on evaluating spectrum availability in key frequency bands, including the coveted 700 MHz, 2600 MHz, 1800 MHz, and 2100 MHz bands.
Government sources reveal that Pakistan possesses abundant spectrum, laying the foundation for future spectrum auctions for Next-Generation Mobile Services (NGMS). However, Cellular Mobile Operators (CMOs) approach the venture cautiously, considering ongoing economic challenges and uncertainties surrounding the imminent launch of 5G.
The committee’s primary mandate is to thoroughly review the spectrum landscape, notably in the 700 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2,100 MHz, and 2,600 MHz bands. Subsequently, the committee is poised to take proactive steps toward auctioning this valuable spectrum in alignment with Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) recommendations.
