The Spectrum Advisory Committee (SAC), chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, will meet on Friday, November 14, to finalize decisions regarding Pakistan’s first-ever 5G spectrum auction. However, uncertainty persists, as 154 MHz of the crucial 2600 MHz band—considered the most suitable for launching 5G in the country—remains entangled in a legal dispute.
According to sources, representatives from the American consultancy firm National Economic Research Associates (NERA) have arrived in Islamabad. This is the same firm hired by the government to support the spectrum auction. NERA will present its comprehensive report to the committee.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had set a December 2025 deadline for the auction, but delays in the proposed PTCL–Telenor merger and ongoing litigation over the key 154 MHz band have stalled the process. The government aims to auction a total of 562 MHz of spectrum, though 140 MHz of it is still locked in legal challenges.
An official stated that Pakistan possesses all ITU-designated 5G bands, including 700, 2100, 2300, 2600, and 3300 MHz, as well as higher bands—suitable for 5G. The proposal suggests offering these bands on a technology-neutral basis, allowing both 4G and 5G usage in the 2100, 2300, and 2600 MHz bands.
Sources indicate that Friday’s high-level meeting will finalize key decisions on the auction, after which a clear roadmap for the long-delayed next-generation mobile technology will emerge. The auction is now expected around February or March 2026, given past legal setbacks and regulatory barriers that repeatedly caused delays.
International consultants will brief the committee on market readiness, spectrum valuation, pricing strategies, band allocation, rollout obligations, and policy recommendations—forming the foundation of Pakistan’s 5G framework.
Federal IT & Telecom Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja has already warned that the 5G rollout faces serious risks. Rising costs, the region’s highest taxes, low average revenue per user (ARPU), dollar-linked license fees, and ongoing litigation have severely strained the telecom sector. The legal dispute over the 154 MHz block in the 2600 band could further delay—or even halt—the auction.
Telecom operators and the GSMA have cautioned that further delays could cost Pakistan $1.8 to $4.3 billion in economic losses over the next five years. Operators have demanded lower base prices, fee payments in local currency, 15-year interest-free installments, and duty-free import of 5G equipment and smartphones. However, the IMF program discourages such concessions.
The GSMA notes that Pakistan has some of the highest spectrum prices in the world, consuming nearly 20% of operators’ revenues. It has urged the government to prioritize creating a favorable investment environment instead of focusing on short-term revenue gains.
Currently, Pakistan has only 274 MHz of active spectrum, which is less than half of what regional countries possess and far below global benchmarks. Experts say this shortage contributes significantly to network congestion, call drops, and slow internet speeds for millions of users.
