Telecom users across Pakistan are set to receive positive news ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, with PTA expected to issue 5G licences to all three successful spectrum auction participants during the current week, paving the way for the formal launch of next-generation mobile services in the country’s major cities. The licences will be issued simultaneously to Jazz, Zong, and Ufone, the three operators that successfully secured spectrum allocations in the auction held on March 10 and 12, 2026, once each company submits the required bank guarantee of $15 million as stipulated under the terms of the licence. One operator has already fulfilled this requirement, while the remaining two are expected to complete the process within days, clearing the final regulatory hurdle before licences can be formally granted and operators can begin activating their newly acquired spectrum.
The spectrum auction itself marked a historic milestone for Pakistan’s telecommunications sector. The government raised approximately $507 million from the sale of 480 megahertz of spectrum out of a total 597 megahertz that had been made available across multiple frequency bands. The bands sold included the 700 megahertz band for wider coverage, the 2300 megahertz and 2600 megahertz bands to support 5G data services, and the 3500 megahertz band for next-generation network deployment, with the position assignment stage for the 2600 and 3500 megahertz bands generating an additional $3 million. Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, who presided over the auction process alongside PTA Chairman Hafeez Ur Rehman, emphasised that every stage of the bidding was conducted transparently, with the entire process broadcast live from PTA’s control room in accordance with directions from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, who also addressed the inauguration ceremony, described the event as a historic milestone for Pakistan’s digital economy and noted that the government had abolished Right of Way charges for fibre deployment, previously standing at approximately Rs36,000 per kilometre, to encourage further investment in digital infrastructure.
With licences imminent, pilot 5G projects are already set to begin in select cities this week. Minister Shaza Fatima confirmed that some telecom operators had indicated readiness to begin 5G services ahead of schedule, and that pilots would commence in major urban centres shortly after licence issuance. The minister further outlined that within six to eight months, full commercial 5G services would be available across all five provincial capitals and the federal capital, Islamabad. Officials also noted that average mobile internet speeds are projected to rise from around 4 megabits per second to nearly 20 megabits per second once 5G networks are deployed, and that the rollout is not expected to result in higher consumer tariffs. A smartphone leasing policy is also being prepared by the government to address device affordability concerns and expand access to 5G-compatible handsets, an issue that industry players have flagged given that entry-level 5G smartphones currently cost approximately Rs90,000 and only around two percent of Pakistani mobile users presently own a 5G-capable device.
The three operators are moving swiftly to translate their spectrum acquisitions into network investment. Pak Telecom Mobile Limited, operating under the Ufone brand, confirmed it would begin preparations for a phased rollout starting with major urban centres, with significant investment directed toward network modernisation, site densification, and digital infrastructure development. The company also noted that the spectrum will be shared with Telenor Pakistan following the completion of their pending merger, which would create a combined entity serving more than 70 million customers nationwide. With pilot services beginning this week and full commercial deployment targeted within months, Pakistan’s long-delayed entry into the 5G era now appears firmly on track, arriving just in time to offer the country’s more than 190 million mobile users a meaningful upgrade in the quality and speed of their digital connectivity.
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