The US-based consulting firm National Economic Research Associates (NERA) has submitted its final recommendations for Pakistan’s upcoming 5G spectrum auction. The report was presented to the Spectrum Advisory Committee (SAC), chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, with participation from PTA, the Frequency Allocation Board, and security representatives.
However, the SAC’s planned meeting on Saturday was postponed due to a pen-down strike by lawyers, delaying a crucial Sindh High Court decision on the disputed 2600MHz band — the most suitable spectrum for 5G rollout. The Ministry of IT and Telecom remains confident that the Feb 15 auction deadline set by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will still be met.
NERA’s report laid out key auction policy options, including setting a higher base price for greater upfront revenue, or adopting a lower price to allow operators more investment capacity to improve network quality. The recommendations also highlighted Pakistan’s high telecom tax burden — 37 percent — which strains industry growth despite rising demand.
Pakistan plans to offer 606MHz of new spectrum across six frequency bands: 700MHz, 1800MHz, 2100MHz, 2300MHz, 2600MHz, and 3500MHz. With data usage already rising from 6GB to an expected 9GB per user per month, officials say Pakistan is “spectrum-starved,” and additional availability is essential to meet growing digital needs.
Once the court decision clears the 2600MHz band, SAC will finalize auction plans, which will proceed to the ECC and then to the federal cabinet for approval before a policy directive is issued.
