With telecom quality issues mounting and demand for faster internet at an all-time high, Pakistan is preparing to auction the 5G spectrum by February 2026.
According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the move is critical to improving nationwide broadband services.
The federal government has formally tasked the PTA with conducting the 5G spectrum auction by February next year.
Aamir Shahzad, the director general licensing at PTA, confirmed in an interview with Samaa TV that preparations for the auction are actively underway.
Shahzad said Pakistan is currently facing severe quality issues in telecom services due to limited available spectrum and a sharp increase in demand for high-speed internet.
Pakistan ranks last globally in available telecom spectrum
Aamir Shahzad revealed several critical industry constraints:
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Telecom operators in Pakistan have access to only 274MHz of spectrum.
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Pakistan ranks last in the world in terms of available telecom spectrum.
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The country is also among the last globally to launch 5G services.
Shahzad said that to address this shortage, the government plans to introduce 600MHz of new spectrum to improve service quality and support 5G rollout.
Quality issues and consumer complaints rising sharply
Shahzad stated that telecom operators are receiving a growing number of complaints about poor service quality, slow internet speeds, and inconsistent coverage.
He attributed these issues primarily to insufficient spectrum, which restricts operators’ ability to meet current user demand.
“The demand for high-speed internet in Pakistan has increased immensely,” he said.
The PTA is currently reviewing the report of an international consultant hired to guide the 5G auction strategy.
Shahzad said the final auction date will be set once the government issues its policy direction.
He added that the 5G spectrum auction will help resolve long-standing quality-of-service problems by expanding operator capacity and enabling faster, more reliable networks.
Quality broadband expected by late 2026
Shahzad projected that Pakistan will achieve quality broadband service by the end of 2026, once spectrum expansion and 5G deployment move forward.
He emphasized that improved connectivity will play a vital role in digital transformation, economic growth, and bridging Pakistan’s technological gap with the rest of the world.
