PTA sets date for 5G spectrum auction in Pakistan

A seminar on 5G technology was held in Islamabad, where Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman, addressed participants, welcoming telecom experts from Malaysia.

While Malaysia has already advanced to 5.5G, Pakistan is looking to learn from Malaysia’s 5G deployment experience to ensure a smooth rollout. The delay in launching 5G in Pakistan has been acknowledged, but the upcoming auction will address these issues and improve both 5G and 4G services in the country.

Minister of State for IT, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, also spoke about ongoing internet connectivity challenges. She highlighted that network congestion sometimes causes disruptions but reassured that the spectrum auction will help resolve these issues. She pointed out that legal hurdles had delayed spectrum allocations for over 20 years, but the auction will bring significant improvements.

Minister Shaza also announced that the world’s largest submarine cable had reached Pakistan and will soon be operational, enhancing internet connectivity. She stressed that if necessary, more submarine cables would be introduced to further boost internet services. The government is committed to national digital transformation and expects a $1.3 trillion boost to global GDP due to 5G technology.

Pakistan aims to improve its connectivity and digital infrastructure, with over half the country currently operating on 274 MHz spectrum. The country also plans to use the Wakhan Corridor to connect with Central Asia and boost IT exports. The government’s target is to increase IT exports from $3.2 billion to $15 billion, contributing to its goal of reaching $25 billion in IT exports.