The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has announced that the country’s 5G spectrum auction will take place on March 10, aiming to address persistent Internet speed and connectivity challenges.
With more than 130 million broadband connections, Pakistan’s networks are under pressure due to limited spectrum availability. Users currently operate on around 274 MHz of spectrum, significantly lower than regional benchmarks such as Bangladesh’s 600 MHz, leading to congestion and service disruptions.
The PTA said the auction for Next Generation Mobile Services (NGMS)/5G follows extensive regulatory coordination and stakeholder consultations to ensure a transparent and well-participated process. Telecom operators and prospective bidders have been advised to review the official information memorandum and monitor PTA updates.
IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja recently acknowledged that Pakistan’s Internet quality falls short of regional and international standards, citing spectrum scarcity as a core issue. She compared the situation to running eight lanes of traffic through two lanes.
The auction is expected to improve network capacity, enhance Internet performance, and support the country’s growing digital economy, which recorded $3.8 billion in IT exports in FY2024–25, up 18% year-on-year.
