Pakistan’s 5G Spectrum Auction: First Round Concludes with High Demand for 2600 MHz Band, The long-awaited leap into the 5G era has officially begun. The first round of Pakistan’s Next Generation Mobile Services (NGMS) and 5G spectrum auction concluded successfully today, with telecom operators showing aggressive interest in critical frequency bands. The process, inaugurated by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, marks the largest spectrum auction in the country’s history.
Read More: Official: Jazz, Zong, and Ufone Qualify for Pakistan’s Historic 5G Spectrum Auction
Round 1 Results: Competition Heats Up
The auction, conducted digitally by the PTA, saw three major telecom players—Jazz, Zong, and Ufone—submitting bids for the 600 MHz of spectrum on offer. The first round focused on two key frequency bands: 2600 MHz and 3500 MHz.
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2600 MHz Band (High Demand): This band saw unexpected competition. With 190 MHz of spectrum available across 19 lots, operators submitted bids for approximately 300 MHz. A total of 30 bids were received, forcing a 5% increase in the base price for the subsequent round.
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3500 MHz Band: As the primary band for 5G deployment, this saw steady interest. Out of 280 MHz offered across 28 lots, operators secured 200 MHz of spectrum (20 lots) in this initial phase.
Why This Auction Matters
Government officials, including Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, emphasized that this isn’t just about faster internet—it is about economic survival. Pakistan currently operates on only 274 MHz of spectrum, a severe bottleneck that has plagued users with network congestion for years.
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Doubling Capacity: With a minimum requirement of 100 MHz per operator, the total spectrum in the system is expected to double, promising immediate relief for 4G users while laying the groundwork for 5G.
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The 700 MHz Factor: Also included in the auction, the 700 MHz band is being offered to significantly boost rural coverage and long-distance signal penetration.
What’s Next?
The auction is being conducted in two stages across multiple bidding rounds. Following the conclusion of the first round, PTA officials confirmed that the process will continue with further rounds to address the remaining spectrum lots.
“The strong competition among telecom operators signals significant progress,” noted Aamir Shehzad, Director General Licensing at PTA. Once the auction concludes, authorities aim to roll out commercial 5G services in major cities within six months, while improvements to existing 4G infrastructure are expected to materialize in the next four to five months.
