ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will auction spectrum for fifth-generation (5G) mobile services on March 10, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said on Thursday, revising the earlier date of February 26.
“Spectrum Auction for Next Generation Mobile Services (NGMS)/5G in Pakistan will be conducted on 10 March 2026,” a PTA press release said on Thursday.
The authority said the decision was taken during a committee meeting convened to review the auction framework, timelines, and stakeholder consultations for Next Generation Mobile Services (NGMS).
Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb chaired the meeting, which was also attended by Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, along with senior officials from relevant ministries and regulatory bodies.
The PTA said the rescheduling of the auction date gives telecom operators and prospective bidders sufficient time to prepare and reflects the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s commitment to facilitating broad participation while ensuring full compliance with procedural and regulatory requirements.
The Final Information Memorandum for the 5G spectrum auction is scheduled to be published on February 13, 2026.
An information session for prospective applicants will follow on February 16, ahead of the application deadline — including submission of pre-bid deposits — on February 27.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) will announce the list of applicants later that same day, and the list of qualified bidders will be published on March 3, 2026.
Officials say the upcoming auction represents a crucial step toward rolling out 5G in Pakistan, paving the way for faster data speeds, lower latency, and expanded support for emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, smart cities, industrial automation, and advanced digital services.
Pakistan currently has over 130 million broadband connections, but access remains uneven. Nevertheless, IT exports reached a record $3.8 billion in fiscal year 2024–25, up from $3.2 billion the previous year, marking an 18 percent year-on-year increase, according to the Pakistan Software Export Board.
Last month, Minister for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja said Pakistani Internet users currently operate on roughly 274 MHz of spectrum, compared with around 600 MHz in Bangladesh, causing congestion she likened to “trying to run eight lanes of traffic through two lanes.
The spectrum auction is expected to play a key role in expanding broadband access, improving service quality, and supporting Pakistan’s growing digital economy, providing both businesses and households with faster and more reliable connectivity.
