The future of 5G services in Pakistan has remained uncertain for the past four and a half years.
According to details surfaced on Sunday, despite repeated announcements and multiple deadlines, the service has not commenced, nor has any substantial progress been made towards spectrum auction.
The auction, initially planned for July and August this year, could not be completed. Sources divulged that in the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, court cases have emerged as the primary obstacle to the rollout of 5G services, leading to the postponement of the spectrum auction until December.
Sources privy to the development added that mobile operators had set a condition for participation requiring a "clean spectrum". However, the government, despite various efforts, has failed to have the legal cases resolved.
The uncertain situation regarding the merger of Telenor and PTCL has been identified as another major cause of the delay.
Documents from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority stated that out of the 606 MHz spectrum offered for auction, 151.6 MHz is entangled in various legal disputes. The most contentious is the 2600 MHz band, of which 140 MHz out of a total 194 MHz is under dispute. Reportedly, 140 MHz is held illegally by Southern Networks Limited, while a case concerning the spectrum usage by an international mobile company remains pending in court.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication said that the aim had been to hold the auction in July or August, but legal complications made this unfeasible.
The officials said: "Efforts are ongoing with the assistance of the Ministry of Law and the Attorney General of Pakistan to resolve these cases and ensure the auction can proceed by December 2025."
