ISLAMABAD – The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has issued 5G licenses to three major telecom operators, setting the stage for the introduction of 5G services in Pakistan.
The license handover ceremony took place at the Prime Minister’s House. Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima, PTA Chairman Major General (retd) Hafeezur Rehman, CEOs of the telecom companies, and federal cabinet members attended the event.
Following the approval of these licenses, telecom companies are expected to launch 5G services across the country soon.
Earlier this month, the historic auction ceremony was held in Islamabad, where authorities announced the sale of 600 MHz of spectrum. Out of this total, 480 MHz was successfully auctioned to three leading telecom companies. Jazz, Zong, and Ufone, at a combined value of $507 million.
Jazz emerged as leading spectrum holder, securing 190 MHz. Ufone followed closely with 180 MHz, while Zong acquired 110 MHz. According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), another round of bidding will take place on Thursday to determine positions in various frequency bands.
For the unversed, Pakistan’s existing mobile spectrum capacity is far too limited. So far, only 274 MHz of spectrum is available for mobile networks across the country. This shortage has been blamed for persistent network congestion, slow internet speeds, and difficulties in providing high-quality connectivity to millions of users.
The introduction of 5G is expected to ease these pressures and transform Pakistan’s digital infrastructure. Full-scale 5G services are anticipated to roll out in major metropolitan areas, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, and Quetta, within the next three to six months. In the meantime, telecom operators have confirmed that selected test sites will begin offering services starting Friday.
