Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has proposed mandatory registration of all gateways operated by Internet of Things (IoT) and Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) service providers under its draft IoT and LPWAN Licensing Regulations 2026. Gateways are the devices that collect data from sensors and connected equipment and pass it on to a wider network, so the proposal would bring the basic infrastructure of IoT networks under a formal registration and monitoring framework. Under the draft, every registration holder or licence holder would have to register each gateway through the online portal of PTA or through another mechanism specified by the authority, and the requirement would cover both private IoT network operators and companies that provide licensed IoT and LPWAN services.
Existing LPWAN licensees whose licences were issued before the new regulations take effect would have 90 days to register their gateways through the portal. Their current licences would be treated as having been issued under the proposed regulations for the remainder of their validity, subject to compliance with the new requirements. This gives operators that are already working in the sector a transition period instead of requiring them to apply again from the beginning, while making sure that their equipment is added to the records of the authority.
According to reports on the draft, PTA has proposed no annual registration fee for gateways. Operators would, however, have to submit technical details, including gateway models, frequency ranges, antenna specifications, installation addresses, and GPS coordinates. They would also need to share information about the connected devices, network coverage, the purpose of deployment, and service quality. The draft authorises PTA to inspect the sites where gateways are installed and to revoke authorisation if an operator violates the regulations, which gives the authority a way to verify the information that it receives.
The gateway registration rule is part of the wider draft regulations that PTA has circulated for consultation. Other parts of the draft include a five-year commercial licence for those who provide IoT services to third parties, registration for private networks within a single premises, and a one-year trial registration for research and testing. The proposed regulations will take effect only after they are notified in the official Gazette, so they are not yet in force. Companies, universities, and startups that work with connected devices can review the draft and send their comments to the authority while the consultation is open.
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