Pakistan’s 5G auction is delayed by at least four months due to regulatory uncertainty over the Telenor-PTCL merger. The lack of clear policy directives and geopolitical tensions hinder progress, threatening the nation’s digital infrastructure ambitions and postponing the planned 5G launch originally scheduled for June 2025.
Pakistan’s mobile users face unreliable 3G and 4G services, despite the promise of 5G. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has not taken significant action against telecom companies for poor service, leading to frustration nationwide. Users report frequent signal drops and slow mobile data, with PTA’s fines yielding limited results.
Pakistan is preparing for a major spectrum auction to enhance its telecommunications infrastructure. The auction will release 567 MHz of spectrum to improve mobile broadband services, support 4G and 5G rollout, and boost the telecom sector’s growth. PTA and NERA are guiding the process, which aims to attract investment and drive economic development.
Telenor Pakistan has invested over $5 billion in the country, contributing more than Rs500 billion in taxes over 20 years. The company continues to serve 44 million customers while enhancing connectivity in northern Pakistan through 4G services and technological innovations, including achieving record-breaking data speeds and conducting a 5G trial.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar invited Etisalat and e& to invest further in the country’s telecom sector. During a meeting in Dubai with e& officials, Dar emphasized Pakistan’s investment-friendly policies and discussed opportunities for strengthening telecom infrastructure and attracting more foreign investment in the sector.
Jahanzeb Rahim, Member Telecom, proposed adopting orbital satellites to strengthen Pakistan’s internet connectivity and economic growth. The public-private dialogue emphasized the need for diversification in Pakistan’s telecom infrastructure, reducing reliance on submarine cables, and improving resilience, particularly in rural areas, to support the nation’s digital economy and IT exports.
Pakistan’s telecom sector saw a decline in cellular subscriptions, 3G/4G users, and mobile broadband penetration in November 2024. The PTA also resolved 99% of complaints, with most concerns related to Cellular Mobile Operators. Despite the drop in users, 4G adoption continued to grow across major operators.
NERA, the US-based consultancy hired for Pakistan’s 5G spectrum auction, has supported telecom operators’ demands for extended payment terms, reasonable reserve prices, and a shift to rupee-based pricing. NERA warned that high spectrum prices could harm competition and innovation, urging lower prices for long-term government revenue and sector growth.
Pakistan has declared 2025 as the “Year of 5G” and unveiled plans to increase broadband speeds to 50-100 Mbps and expand Fibre-To-The-Site (FTTS) coverage to 60%. The government aims to enhance telecom infrastructure with a 5G spectrum auction in 2025 and a nationwide fiber network expansion.
Pakistan’s telecom authority has decided not to proceed with a VPN ban, following legal advice from the Law Ministry. Despite efforts to regulate VPN use, the PTA withdrew the policy after determining it lacked legal grounds. VPN usage continues to grow in Pakistan as users seek to bypass government restrictions.
