PTA has proposed a new licensing framework for Internet of Things services in the form of the draft IoT and Low Power Wide Area Networks Licensing Regulations 2026, which create separate tiers for commercial operators, private networks, research sandboxes, and software platforms. At the centre of the framework is a five year commercial license, which any entity providing Internet of Things services to third parties through designated low power wide area network frequency bands will need to obtain. It carries a non refundable processing fee of Pakistani Rupees 5,000 and an initial license fee of Pakistani Rupees 100,000, which is considerably lower than the Pakistani Rupees 300,000 fee under the earlier district level framework and could encourage more startups and smaller operators to enter the market.
The draft also reaches beyond commercial operators. Private networks set up on a single premise, such as farms, factories, campuses, or industrial plants, will need to register, although they may serve only internal use and cannot offer services to outside parties. This registration costs Pakistani Rupees 10,000 plus Pakistani Rupees 5,000 for processing and remains valid for five years. A dedicated sandbox category has been created for companies testing new Internet of Things concepts, with a one year registration costing Pakistani Rupees 2,000 plus Pakistani Rupees 1,000 for processing, and platform and application providers that build software on top of device data will need their own five year registration at Pakistani Rupees 10,000. Cellular operators such as Jazz, Zong, and the merged Ufone and Telenor can offer Internet of Things services through their existing spectrum licenses without additional paperwork, and devices operating in shared Short Range Device and Ultra Wideband bands remain exempt, as do importers of devices, who must still meet type approval requirements.
One condition carries real weight. All operators must route their backend traffic, including satellite backhaul, through a PTA licensed Local Access Provider, and connecting through an unlicensed operator leads to automatic cancellation of the license or registration, which ensures that all data flows through regulated channels and gives the authority visibility into network traffic. Licensed operators will have one year from the effective date to launch services and obtain a commencement certificate, with automatic cancellation if the deadline is missed, although PTA may grant a single six month extension. Operators must also submit quarterly reports on active connections and gateway counts, with district level breakdowns required from commercial licensees. The proposed frequency bands are 433.05 to 434.79 megahertz and 920 to 925 megahertz, with maximum transmission power capped at one watt, and operations run on a secondary, non interference, non protection basis. PTA may suspend or restrict services at any time for national security or public safety reasons, and the Frequency Allocation Board can consider exclusive frequency assignments case by case.
The regulations list ten major application areas, including smart cities, energy utilities, agriculture, environmental monitoring, industrial automation, logistics, healthcare, education, and public safety. PTA previously issued Internet of Things licenses to 23 companies under the earlier framework in April 2026, and those licenses will carry over for their remaining validity if operators comply with the updated requirements within 90 days. The draft is still a proposal, so the final fee structure and conditions may change after industry feedback, but the lower license fee and the clear tiers for private and experimental users suggest that the authority wants to make it easier for farms, factories, and young technology companies to deploy connected devices while keeping the traffic under regulatory oversight.
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